Quick Facts
- Cris Cyborg beat Ketlen Vieira by unanimous decision, on scorecards of 49-46 twice and 48-47, and retained her women’s featherweight belt.
- Ketlen Vieira missed weight at the weigh-in, coming in at 152.2 pounds. The fight was reclassified as a catchweight bout at 153 pounds, and she could not win the title under any circumstance.
- Cris Cyborg, who made the championship weight of 145 pounds, had committed to leaving the belt vacant had she lost.
- The win was the 30th of her career, moving her record from 29 wins and 2 losses to 30 and 2.
- In the co-main event, Gadzhi Rabadanov stopped Tracy Reeder by TKO at 4 minutes 38 seconds of round one.
A One-Sided Championship Bout on the Rulebook
PFL Tampa was held at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Eleven fights were on the card.
The main event was decided before it even started, at the previous day’s weigh-in. The league’s official release states that Cris Cyborg weighed in at 145 pounds, the championship limit, while Ketlen Vieira missed weight at 152.2 pounds. The bout was reclassified as a catchweight fight at 153 pounds. The direct consequence: Vieira could not win the belt no matter the outcome, while Cyborg had committed to leaving it vacant had she lost.
That is why the two sources consulted describe the fight differently. PFL presents it as a women’s featherweight title defense, while the Tapology database lists it as a 153-pound catchweight championship bout. Both are accurate: the belt was only on the line one way.
Five Rounds and a Unanimous Decision
On the scorecards, Cyborg went the full five rounds. The judges’ cards published by PFL show 49-46 twice and 48-47 on the third. The release describes a champion who controlled the pace through the first two rounds, before her opponent found openings, then mixed striking and wrestling to chase takedowns in the final round.
The win was the thirtieth of her career. Her record, listed as 29 wins and 2 losses before the night according to PFL’s weigh-in release, moved to 30 and 2 according to the Tapology profile updated after the fight. In her post-fight statement, the champion said no woman had reached that total before her, and said she did not know whether she would fight again.
The site gathers all of its content on the organization in the PFL section, and keeps profiles on leading figures in the women’s divisions, including Amanda Nunes.
A Co-Main Event Wrapped Up in One Round
Gadzhi Rabadanov needed only one round to get past Tracy Reeder. The Russian controlled his opponent on the ground before finishing with strikes, at 4 minutes 38 seconds of round one. The official release lists this as his second straight win.
Two other fights on the main card made an impression. Sabrinna de Sousa, unbeaten, dominated Taila Santos by unanimous decision, on cards of 29-28 and 30-27 twice. Luke Trainer stopped Roland Dunlap in the second round, at 2 minutes 52 seconds, with a front kick followed by ground strikes.
Preliminary Card Results
Seven fights made up the preliminary card. Nkosi Ndebele beat Marcirley Alves on the scorecards. Daniel Marcos beat Magomed Magomedov at 11 seconds into round three, on a corner stoppage following an injury. Javid Basharat beat Movsar Ibragimov by unanimous decision, and Dakota Bush beat Morquez Forest by split decision.
Natan Schulte beat Makkasharip Zaynukov by unanimous decision, Gino van Steenis beat Robert Watley also by decision, and Eoin Sheridan finished James Vake by knee KO at 4 minutes 9 seconds of round one.
The criteria used to establish and verify this information are detailed in the site’s methodology page, and fighters with a profile on the site are accessible from the full fighter directory.
FAQ
Who won the fight between Cris Cyborg and Ketlen Vieira?
Cris Cyborg won by unanimous decision after five rounds. The scorecards published by PFL show 49-46 twice and 48-47 on the third. She retained her women’s featherweight belt, which her opponent could not have won anyway after missing weight at the weigh-in.
Why was the fight contested at catchweight?
Because Ketlen Vieira missed weight. PFL’s weigh-in release states she came in at 152.2 pounds, while the women’s featherweight limit is 145 pounds. The fight was reclassified at 153 pounds and Vieira was ruled ineligible for the title, while Cyborg, who made weight, kept hers on the line.
Is Cris Cyborg going to retire?
No retirement has been announced. The weigh-in release presents the night as her last under the PFL banner, and in her post-fight statement the champion said she did not know whether she would fight again. The wording remains conditional and no final decision has been made public.
When and where was PFL Tampa held?
At Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Prelims began at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT, 11:30 p.m. CEST), with the main card at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT, 3 a.m. CEST). PFL’s results release is headlined August 23, but its own subheading, the weigh-in release and the Tapology profile all place the event on August 22.
Conclusion
Cris Cyborg leaves Tampa with her belt, her thirtieth win and a future she leaves open. The night will mainly be remembered for the regulatory setup of its main event: a championship only the champion herself could lose, after her opponent missed weight. Whether she steps into a cage again, and under which banner, remains to be seen.
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