Ketlen Vieira’s move to the PFL has taken an unexpected turn, with the former UFC bantamweight contender receiving a six-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance following her promotional debut against Cris Cyborg.
Vieira faced Cyborg at PFL Tampa on August 22, 2026, in a bout originally scheduled for the PFL featherweight title. However, the contest was changed to a non-title fight after Vieira missed weight by approximately seven pounds.
“Fenômeno” cited kidney and stomach pain as the reason for the weight-cutting issue before losing to Cyborg by unanimous decision.
The Brazilian’s troubles did not end when she left the cage.
Ketlen Vieira Explains How Banned Substance Entered Her System
Mike Mazzulli, director of the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation, confirmed that both Vieira’s A and B samples from an in-competition drug test returned positive for a steroidal substance prohibited under World Anti-Doping Agency rules. The specific substance has not been publicly disclosed.
According to Sherdog, Vieira has been handed a six-month suspension retroactive to the date of her fight against Cyborg. She is therefore eligible to return to competition on March 22, 2027.
Vieira has denied any intention to cheat in a statement to MMAFighting.com, explaining that the positive test stemmed from medication she took to treat a long-standing knee injury after leaving the UFC. She said the restrictions associated with her previous contract no longer applied once she became a free agent.
The 35-year-old claimed that she and her team stopped the medication after signing with the PFL, believing sufficient time remained for it to clear her system before the fight. Vieira also said the treatment had helped her knee and that the agreed suspension would allow time to ensure everything was in order.
Vieira parted ways with the UFC after defeating Jacqueline Cavalcanti in May 2026. She left the promotion with a 10-5 record and notable victories over Holly Holm, Miesha Tate, Cat Zingano, and Sara McMann.
Her competitive performance against Kayla Harrison in October 2024 had also kept her among the division’s notable contenders, despite the loss.
Cris Cyborg also chimed in on the situation on Instagram, thanking Mazzulli for taking drug testing seriously and enforcing standards designed to protect clean competition.
