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Liz Carmouche went to unusual lengths to make championship weight ahead of her fight against Jena Bishop at PFL Chicago on October 16.
The veteran MMA fighter shaved her head before stepping onto the scales on Thursday, October 15, as she prepared to compete for the inaugural PFL women’s flyweight world championship at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Carmouche successfully weighed in at 125 pounds, meeting the championship limit for the main event. Bishop also made weight, registering 124.6 pounds.
The title fight marks a rematch between two fighters who have already shared the cage, with Carmouche looking to add another major championship to her career.
Carmouche Makes Weight After Shaving Her Head
The 42 year old arrived at weigh ins knowing there was little room for error in a championship contest. Carmouche decided to shave her head before stepping onto the scale, a striking measure that drew attention during fight week. Ultimately, she made the 125 pound limit and avoided any last minute complications ahead of Friday’s main event.
Weight cuts are a familiar challenge in professional MMA, particularly for fighters competing in divisions with strict championship limits. Athletes often make adjustments to their diet, hydration and preparation during fight week to meet the required number.
Carmouche’s decision to shave her head became one of the most talked about moments of the PFL Chicago weigh ins, but her attention will now turn to the much more important task of winning the title.
Liz Carmouche vs. Jena Bishop 2: What’s at Stake?
Carmouche and Bishop will compete for the inaugural PFL women’s flyweight world championship, with the division set to crown its first champion.
The rematch follows their meeting in the 2025 PFL World Tournament final. Carmouche won that contest by third round TKO, using her striking to stop Bishop and claim the tournament title.
Bishop now has an opportunity to reverse that result and capture championship gold. The submission specialist has built her reputation around Brazilian jiu jitsu and grappling, making her a dangerous opponent if she can bring the fight to the ground.
The rematch also follows a change in the title picture. Dakota Ditcheva had been expected to compete for the championship but was sidelined after breaking both hands during her victory over Denise Kielholtz at PFL New York in July. That injury opened the door for Carmouche and Bishop to fight for the belt.
Carmouche Brings Experience and Momentum
Carmouche enters the contest with a 26 – 8 professional record and a four fight winning streak. Her most recent victory came against former UFC contender Viviane Araujo in June, when she secured a submission finish.
The American has competed at the highest levels of women’s MMA for more than a decade. She fought Ronda Rousey in the UFC’s first women’s bout in 2013 and later challenged for UFC championship gold at both bantamweight and flyweight.
She subsequently captured the Bellator women’s flyweight championship and defended it three times before continuing her career under the PFL banner.
Carmouche’s experience in high pressure fights could prove important against Bishop. She has repeatedly competed for major titles and has demonstrated that she can combine wrestling, positional control and striking to neutralise opponents with dangerous grappling games.
At 42, she is also attempting to demonstrate that she remains capable of competing for major honours.
Bishop Looks to Turn the Tables
Bishop enters the rematch with an 11 – 3 record and a strong grappling background. A Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt and former IBJJF No Gi world champion, she has earned seven of her 11 career victories by submission.
Since losing to Carmouche in 2025, Bishop has responded with two consecutive first round submission victories, including wins over Borena Tsertsvadze and Ariane Lipski.
Those performances have helped her secure another opportunity to compete for championship gold.
Her clearest route to victory is likely to involve using her grappling to force difficult exchanges on the ground. Carmouche’s experience and defensive wrestling, however, will make that task challenging.
Bishop has also spoken confidently about her chances in the rematch, making Friday’s contest an opportunity to turn her previous defeat into a defining career victory.
PFL Chicago: Main Card and Weigh In Results
The main event headlines PFL Chicago at Wintrust Arena on October 16.
- Women’s flyweight title: Liz Carmouche (125) vs. Jena Bishop (124.6)
- Featherweight: Timur Khizriev (145.4) vs. Gabriel Braga (145.8)
- Bantamweight: Sarvarjon Khamidov (135.8) vs. Rafael do Nascimento (135.4)
- Welterweight: JP Saint Louis (172.8) vs. Oualy Tandia (170)
All fighters on the listed card successfully made weight.
The main card is scheduled to air on ESPN2 in the United States, with preliminary bouts available on ESPN+.
Can Carmouche Become PFL’s First Women’s Flyweight Champion?
Carmouche’s head shaving moment may have grabbed attention at weigh ins, but the real story will be decided inside the cage.
She enters with experience, recent momentum and a victory over Bishop in their previous meeting. Bishop, meanwhile, has improved her position with consecutive submission wins and has another opportunity to prove she can defeat the veteran.
A Carmouche victory would add another championship achievement to a career that has already included major success in the UFC, Bellator and PFL. A Bishop win would avenge her previous defeat and establish her as the inaugural PFL women’s flyweight world champion. Both fighters made weight, leaving the championship rematch ready to proceed as scheduled.
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