Cyborg survives toughest test of career to retain PFL title in potential farewell fight

Cris Cyborg retained the PFL women’s featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa on 23 August 2026, surviving the most competitive fight of her career in what could be her final appearance inside the cage.

Because Vieira missed weight ahead of the bout, only Cyborg was eligible to claim the belt — yet the Brazilian challenger made her earn every second of it. Cyborg spent the opening two rounds circling and picking her shots, with Vieira responding with sharp short right hands. The fight grew increasingly complicated from the third round onward.

Cyborg secured takedowns in the third and fifth rounds as Vieira’s threat level rose, but by the fourth the range control that has defined Cyborg’s career had vanished. Vieira cut her opponent and closed the round on top. Heading into the fifth, commentator Dan Hardy suggested Vieira might be ahead on the cards. Cyborg dug in, claimed three of the five rounds on all three judges’ scorecards, and walked away with the decision — but not before being pushed to a limit few fighters have ever found.

The co-main event saw former PFL titleholder Gadzhi Rabadanov make quick work of Tracy Reeder on his promotional debut. The Russian used his jab to close the distance, moved to top position and landed ground-and-pound until referee Bryan Miner waved it off late in the first round.

A women’s flyweight contest with significant divisional implications followed, as Sabrinna de Sousa defeated former UFC title challenger Taila Santos in a performance that could position her as the division’s next number-one contender. With Dakota Ditcheva injured and Liz Carmouche scheduled to face Jena Bishop for the title later in the year, de Sousa’s dominant showing — built on relentless pressure and a sharp right hand she landed repeatedly throughout — thrust her to the front of the queue.

The main-card opener produced a dramatic finish when Luke Trainer knocked Roland Dunlap unconscious with an Anderson Silva-style front kick to the face in the second round, after both light heavyweights had traded damaging strikes and been staggered in the first.