Liz Carmouche Shaves Head to Make Weight for PFL Chicago Championship Fight Against Jena Bishop

CHICAGO, Illinois — October 16, 2026 — Former Bellator MMA champion and UFC title challenger Liz Carmouche went to extraordinary lengths to make championship weight ahead of Friday night’s PFL Chicago main event against Jena Bishop, shaving her head in a dramatic last-minute effort to reach the 125-pound flyweight limit.

The 42-year-old women’s MMA pioneer found herself facing an unexpected challenge during Thursday’s official weigh-ins, with every fraction of a pound potentially determining whether she would remain eligible to compete for the inaugural PFL women’s flyweight world championship.

With time running out and few options remaining, Carmouche made the unusual decision to have her hair shaved off before stepping onto the official scale.

The gamble worked.

Carmouche officially weighed 125.0 pounds, hitting the championship limit exactly, while opponent Jena Bishop comfortably registered 124.6 pounds.

Both fighters are now cleared to compete in Friday night’s championship main event at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

Liz Carmouche Takes Desperate Measures to Make 125 Pounds

Weight cutting has long been one of the most demanding aspects of professional mixed martial arts, but Carmouche’s final preparations provided one of the more unusual weigh-in moments in recent PFL history.

Already sporting relatively short hair entering fight week, Carmouche had little left to sacrifice as she attempted to reach the flyweight championship limit.

Video shared by the PFL showed members of Carmouche’s team removing her remaining hair with clippers before the veteran fighter stepped onto the scale.

The final reading of 125 pounds confirmed that Carmouche had successfully made championship weight, although the footage did not establish precisely how much weight the haircut removed.

For Carmouche, the unusual decision highlighted the physical demands of continuing to compete at flyweight more than 16 years after beginning her professional MMA career.

Unlike non-title fights, which typically permit a one-pound allowance, championship contests require fighters to meet the exact divisional limit.

Missing weight could have jeopardized Carmouche’s opportunity to become the first PFL women’s flyweight world champion.

Carmouche Acknowledges Difficulties Cutting to Flyweight

The former UFC title challenger has openly discussed the increasing challenges of competing at 125 pounds as she progresses through her career.

Carmouche recently explained that changes in her body composition have made the weight cut increasingly difficult, even as she continues to believe her best performances come in the flyweight division.

While competing at bantamweight would eliminate some of the challenges associated with making 125 pounds, Carmouche has remained committed to the lighter division.

Her determination was evident during Thursday’s weigh-in, when shaving her head became the final option in an increasingly difficult weight cut.

At 42 years old, Carmouche remains one of the most accomplished veterans in women’s mixed martial arts, having competed against elite opposition across the UFC, Bellator and PFL.

Friday’s championship opportunity represents another chance to add to an already decorated career.

Jena Bishop Looks for Revenge in PFL Chicago Rematch

Standing opposite Carmouche on Friday night will be Jena Bishop, a highly accomplished Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor seeking revenge for a previous defeat.

The two fighters first met in August 2025 during the PFL women’s flyweight tournament final in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Carmouche emerged victorious in that encounter, stopping Bishop in the third round to claim the 2025 PFL tournament championship.

Friday’s rematch carries different stakes, with the winner set to become the promotion’s inaugural women’s flyweight divisional world champion.

Bishop enters the contest with an 11-3 professional record and a reputation as one of the division’s most dangerous submission specialists.

The 40-year-old grappler has responded to her previous loss against Carmouche with consecutive submission victories, earning another opportunity against the veteran champion.

While Carmouche’s dramatic weight cut has attracted considerable attention heading into the event, Bishop’s ability to make weight without any reported complications could become an interesting storyline if the championship fight extends into the later rounds.

Whether the demanding weight cut affects Carmouche’s performance remains to be seen.

Could Carmouche’s Weight Cut Become a Factor?

Although Carmouche successfully made the championship limit, the circumstances surrounding her final preparations raise legitimate questions about how physically demanding the cut may have been.

Dehydration and rapid weight reduction can affect endurance, recovery and overall athletic performance, particularly during five-round championship contests.

However, making weight under difficult circumstances does not necessarily mean an athlete will perform poorly after rehydrating.

Carmouche brings considerable championship experience into the matchup and has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to compete at a high level against younger opponents.

Entering Friday’s fight with a 26-8 professional record and a four-fight winning streak, Carmouche remains a formidable opponent.

For Bishop, the rematch provides an opportunity to reverse the result of their first encounter and capture the biggest championship of her professional MMA career.

PFL Chicago Championship Main Event Is Official

Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding Carmouche’s weigh-in, the PFL Chicago championship main event is officially set.

The promotion will crown its inaugural women’s flyweight world champion when Carmouche and Bishop meet inside the SmartCage at Wintrust Arena.

The event also features undefeated featherweight Timur Khizriev facing Gabriel Braga in the co-main event.

PFL Chicago’s main card is scheduled to air Friday, October 16, at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

For Carmouche, Thursday’s haircut may become one of the most memorable moments of her lengthy professional career.

But after successfully reaching the championship limit, the veteran fighter now faces a far more important challenge: defeating Jena Bishop for a second time and adding another world championship to her legacy.

The haircut made headlines. Friday night, Carmouche hopes her performance inside the cage will do the same.