Former UFC top-five bantamweight Ketlen Vieira signs with PFL one month after release

Ketlen Vieira has signed with the Professional Fighters League, the Brazilian fighter confirmed in an Instagram post on Tuesday, just one month after the UFC released her from its roster.

Vieira, currently ranked No. 5 in MMA Fighting’s women’s bantamweight rankings, was cut by the UFC in May — shortly after defeating Jacqueline Cavalcanti at UFC Vegas 117. Because PFL does not operate a women’s bantamweight division, she is expected to compete at featherweight, a weight class in which she already has one win from her UFC tenure.

The 33-year-old spent a decade in the UFC after joining the promotion in 2016, compiling a 10-5 record across the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. Her résumé includes a title shot against Amanda Nunes in 2022, which she lost by unanimous decision.

In her announcement, Vieira thanked coach Andre Pederneiras and manager Ali Abdelaziz for their support during the transition. “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life, and I can only thank God for pouring countless blessings into it,” she wrote.

No date has been confirmed for Vieira’s PFL debut.