Ketlen Vieira badly blew weight for this Saturday’s PFL Tampa at Friday’s official weigh-ins, and will no longer be eligible to win the title as a result.
Vieira, a former UFC bantamweight title challenger, had been set to face champion Cris Cyborg for the PFL women’s featherweight championship. However, with Vieira hitting the scales seven pounds over the title fight limit, the league had little choice in the matter. The main event now continues as a catchweight of sorts: for Cyborg, the title is still on the line, meaning she can still lose it.
While Vieira has fought mainly as a bantamweight, she also blew weight for a 2025 144lb catchweight fight with Macy Chiasson, as well as for a bantamweight bout with Yana Santos in 2021. Neither of those misses, however, was nearly as bad as what transpired on Saturday.
Vieira later released a statement on the matter to MMA Fighting, saying that “I had severe pain in my kidneys and stomach since last night. I felt really sick throughout the entire night. Master ‘Dedé’ [André Pederneiras] slept in my bed with me, massaging my back so I could get some sleep.”
“This morning, I felt sick again and had another severe episode. I can’t explain why this happened. I was doing well on weight, I’m a bantamweight fighter, and it had nothing to do with my weight. I was in a lot of pain, and ‘Dedé’ wouldn’t let me continue losing weight. I was doing well and sweating properly, but then I had this very severe episode, and [Pederneiras] chose to prioritize my health.”
Vieira is making her promotional debut in the bout.
PFL Tampa Weigh-In Results
Main Card
Featherweight: Cris Cyborg (c) (145) vs. Ketlen Vieira (152.2)* – originally for the PFL women’s featherweight championship, Vieira ineligible to win title
Lightweight: Gadzhi Rabadanov (156) vs. Tracy Reeder (155)
Women’s flyweight: Taila Santos (125.6) vs. Sabrinna de Sousa (125)
Light heavyweight: Luke Trainer (205.6) vs. Roland Dunlap (205.8)
Preliminary Card
141lb Catchweight: Marcirley Alves (141.8 lbs)* vs. Nkosi Ndebele (140.4)
Bantamweight: Magomed Magomedov (136) vs. Daniel Marcos (135.6)
Bantamweight: Movsar Ibragimov (136) vs. Javid Basharat (136)
Lightweight: Dakota Bush (155.8) vs. Morquez Forest (155.8)
Lightweight: Natan Schulte (156) vs. Artur Zaynukov (155.6)
Lightweight: Gino Van Steenis (156) vs. Robert Watley (155.4)
Welterweight: Eoin Sheridan (170.8) vs. James Vake (170.8)
* fighter missed weight
Update: Per a statement by Cris Cyborg, she will still be eligible to retain her title, and will lose the belt should she lose to Vieira at PFL Tampa
