Vieira handed six-month ban after failed drug test in PFL debut loss to Cyborg

Ketlen Vieira will be sidelined until 22 March 2027 after receiving a six-month suspension for a failed drug test tied to her PFL debut — a unanimous-decision loss to featherweight champion Cris Cyborg in Tampa last August. The UFC veteran confirmed the ban to MMA Fighting following an initial report from Sherdog, though the specific prohibited substance has not been disclosed.

In a statement released through MMA Fighting, Vieira said the positive test stemmed from medication she took to treat a chronic knee injury during the period between leaving the UFC and signing with PFL. She maintained that the treatment was never intended to provide a competitive edge.

“Throughout my time in the UFC, my team and I were always extremely careful with supplements and medical treatments,” Vieira wrote. “In 10 years with the organization, there was never a single incident.”

Vieira explained that after parting ways with the UFC — which came shortly after a win over Jacqueline Cavalcanti in May — she used the free-agent window to pursue more comprehensive medical care for the knee, free from the strict substance restrictions that governed her time in the UFC’s testing pool. She was signed by PFL less than a month later and booked to face Cyborg in August, leaving what she described as insufficient time for the medication to clear her system.

“What none of us expected was to be surprised by the great news that I had been signed by the PFL,” she said. “As soon as we learned about the opportunity, we immediately discontinued all medications. I believed that given the time between stopping the medications and my fight, there would be no possibility of any substance showing up in my tests.”

Vieira also missed weight by seven pounds ahead of the Cyborg bout, citing kidney and stomach pain during the cut — a camp that was already complicated by the injury management she described.

The suspension is retroactive to the date of the fight, and Vieira said she is focused on maintaining her health and keeping the knee in good condition ahead of her next appearance. “Since there was no intent to violate any rules on our part, the PFL decided to give me a six-month period to ensure everything is in order before my next fight,” she added.