The UFC Let #5 Ketlen Vieira Walk, And Now PFL's 125lb Roster Is Sweating

Hold up, did you guys see this?! The MMA world just got flipped on its head because Ketlen Vieira, a top-ranked bantamweight, officially just signed with the PFL! Remember how everyone was scratching their heads when the UFC unexpectedly cut her from their roster back in May? Especially after she was sitting pretty at #5 in the women's bantamweight division and came off a win?! Yeah, that whole situation was wild, and now we know where "Fenômeno" is headed.

UFC's Shocking Decision to Cut a Top Contender

Seriously, who saw this coming? Keeping a spot in the UFC is a grind, we all know that, and with new talent always coming up, cuts happen. But the promotion usually doesn't ditch fighters who are ranked in the Top 15, let alone #5, and definitely not when they're fresh off a win. Vieira had just secured a unanimous decision over Jacqueline Cavalcanti in her last UFC outing! This move completely blindsided the entire MMA community, leaving everyone wondering what in the Emerald City was going on. It just felt… off.

"Fenômeno" Joins PFL With a Weighty Question

So, Vieira's free agency was short-lived, and she's back in action with the PFL. This is a solid pickup for them, no doubt about it.

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But here's the kicker, and this is where it gets interesting: Vieira has spent her entire MMA career competing at 135 lbs. The PFL's only fully-fledged women's weight class right now is flyweight, at 125 lbs. That's a whole division down! Will "Fenômeno" make the drop? She did fail to make weight twice during her UFC run, which makes that 125 lb jump even more of a question mark. Could she pull a Liz Carmouche and make it work, or are we looking at a new PFL division in the making?

A Look Back at a Near-Decade of Dominance

Vieira's UFC tenure was no joke. She went 10-5 in nearly 10 years with the promotion after joining in 2016. She started her pro MMA career 6-0, then ripped off another four wins in the UFC to get to a perfect 10-0, including big victories over former title challengers Sara McMann and Cat Zingano. Her first loss was a knockout by Irene Aldana at UFC 245. But she bounced back strong, securing wins against former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champions Holly Holm and Miesha Tate. She also dropped decisions to future champ Raquel Pennington and current champ Kayla Harrison, proving she was always fighting the best of the best. This woman is a certified baller. What a run, and now the PFL gets to figure out how to best use her talent. I'm hyped to see how this plays out!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.