Cris Cyborg farewell fight announced for PFL Tampa on Aug. 22
Cris Cyborg will compete in her final MMA fight as the headliner of PFL Tampa on August 22 at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida. The legendary featherweight champion will defend her title against Ketlen Vieira, a former UFC veteran who was released by the promotion earlier this year.
Cyborg, 40, has established herself as a pioneer across multiple combat sports over a career spanning two decades. The Brazilian has captured titles in the Professional Fighters League, UFC, Bellator, Invicta Fighting Championships, and Strikeforce. Most recently, she submitted Sara Collins in the third round at PFL Lyon in December to claim the vacant featherweight belt. She has won nine consecutive bouts dating back to her UFC departure in July 2019 and has also competed in boxing, posting a 6-0 record that includes a WIBA title win over Paulina Cardona in March.
Vieira enters the matchup as a proven challenger with notable victories over Holly Holm, Miesha Tate, Macy Chiasson, Cat Zingano, and Sara McMann. She finished her UFC tenure with a record of 10-5 in the Octagon after competing in UFC Fight Night 276, where she halted Jacqueline Cavalcanti's eight-fight winning streak before being released.
PFL CEO John Martin called the bout historic. "She is a pioneer of not just women's MMA, but mixed martial arts as a whole," Martin said in a statement. "Now she headlines one final time in the PFL cage and will stand across from a proven challenger in Ketlen Vieira, who has one mission: ruin the goodbye and take the title."
Cyborg's retirement bout will air on ESPN starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
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