The Professional Fighters League will crown its inaugural women’s flyweight world champion when the promotion returns to Chicago.
PFL Chicago takes place Friday, Oct. 16, at Wintrust Arena. Former Bellator champion and 2025 PFL World Tournament winner Liz Carmouche faces submission specialist Jena Bishop in a championship rematch in the main event.
The main card airs live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 11 p.m. ET. The preliminary card begins at 6 p.m. ET on the ESPN App for viewers with access to the ESPN Unlimited plan.
Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster.
Carmouche and Bishop Run It Back for Inaugural PFL Title
Carmouche (26-8) and Bishop (11-3) previously met in the 2025 PFL tournament final. Carmouche won that fight to complete her run through the tournament, but Bishop has since earned back-to-back first-round submissions.
Now, the two flyweights will run it back with the first PFL Women’s Flyweight World Championship on the line.
Carmouche has won 13 of her last 14 fights. The former Bellator champion was also one-half of the UFC’s first women’s bout in 2013 and served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps before establishing herself as one of the most accomplished veterans in women’s MMA.
Bishop brings elite grappling credentials to the rematch. The IBJJF No-Gi World Champion and ADCC veteran has built her MMA career around a dangerous submission game. Her recent form gives her another opportunity to defeat Carmouche and leave Chicago as the promotion’s first women’s flyweight champion.
Khizriev Returns for Braga Rematch
Undefeated featherweight Timur Khizriev returns in the co-main event against Gabriel Braga.
Khizriev (18-0), the 2024 PFL Featherweight World Tournament champion, has been out of action while recovering from injuries suffered in an armed attack and a broken hand. He will put his perfect professional record on the line against an opponent who has already pushed him to a split decision.
Braga (17-3) is a former PFL finalist and three-time playoff semifinalist. A victory would avenge his previous loss to Khizriev while placing him back near the front of the featherweight title picture.
Khizriev, meanwhile, can reinforce his position as one of the promotion’s top featherweights and move closer to a world championship opportunity.
Sordi, Khamidov and Tandia Fill Out Main Card
Former PFL light heavyweight champion Emiliano Sordi returns against Abraham Bably in the main-card opener. Sordi (26-14-1) won the promotion’s 2019 championship, while Bably (8-3) moves into a light heavyweight matchup after earning a No. 5 ranking at heavyweight.
At bantamweight, sixth-ranked Sarvarjon Khamidov (17-1) meets Rafael do Nascimento (13-2). Undefeated welterweight Oualy Tandia (5-0) also looks to continue his rise against veteran JP Saint Louis (12-5).
The nine-fight preliminary card includes three matchups between undefeated fighters. Kevin Pease faces Cassio Barao at lightweight, Cobey Fehr meets Rosario Romero at bantamweight, and featherweights Noah Hermosillo and Caden Cox put their perfect records on the line.
PFL Chicago Fight Card
Main Card — 11 p.m. ET, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes
PFL Women’s Flyweight World Championship: Liz Carmouche (26-8) vs. Jena Bishop (11-3)
Featherweight bout: Timur Khizriev (18-0) vs. Gabriel Braga (17-3)
Bantamweight bout: Sarvarjon Khamidov (17-1) vs. Rafael do Nascimento (13-2)
Welterweight bout: Oualy Tandia (5-0) vs. JP Saint Louis (12-5)
Light heavyweight bout: Emiliano Sordi (26-14-1) vs. Abraham Bably (8-3)
Preliminary Card — 6 p.m. ET, ESPN App
Lightweight bout: Gamid Khizriev (5-0) vs. Michael Boylan (6-1)
Women’s flyweight bout: Shannon Clark (8-1) vs. Lucero Acosta (6-2)
Lightweight bout: Cassio Barao (10-1-1) vs. Kevin Pease (8-0)
Welterweight bout: Eliezer Kubanza (9-1) vs. Trey Waters (10-2)
Bantamweight bout: Cobey Fehr (4-0) vs. Rosario Romero (4-0)
Women’s flyweight bout: Paulina Wisniewska (7-1) vs. Chelsea Hackett (5-3-1)
Featherweight bout: Noah Hermosillo (1-0) vs. Caden Cox (2-0)
Women’s strawweight bout: Benita van Rooij (7-2) vs. Giuliany Perea (5-1)
Lightweight bout: Levan Khabalaev (5-0) vs. Morquez Forest (8-2)
The fight card is subject to change.