PFL Tampa August 22, 2026 brings one of the biggest names in women’s MMA back to the cage as Cris Cyborg faces Ketlen Vieira with the PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship on the line.
More importantly, it is being promoted as Cyborg’s final MMA fight.
The event takes place Saturday, August 22 at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, with a deep card featuring Gadzhi Rabadanov, Taila Santos, Luke Trainer, Magomed Magomedov and several other experienced fighters.
The early card begins at 5:30 PM ET, followed by the main card at 9:00 PM ET.
For Cyborg, however, the night carries far more significance than another championship defense.
After more than two decades in professional MMA, one of the most accomplished fighters in women’s combat sports is preparing to enter the cage for the final time.
When Is PFL Tampa 2026?
Event: PFL Tampa: Cyborg vs Vieira
Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Venue: Benchmark International Arena
Location: Tampa, Florida
Early Card: 5:30 PM ET
Main Card: 9:00 PM ET
Main Event: Cris Cyborg vs Ketlen Vieira
Championship: PFL Women’s Featherweight World Title
PFL Tampa is the final event of the promotion’s 2026 Summer Series and is built around Cyborg’s farewell fight.
Who Is Fighting in the PFL Tampa Main Event?
Cris Cyborg faces fellow Brazilian Ketlen Vieira for the PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship.
Cyborg enters with a professional record of 29-2, while Vieira brings a 16-5 record into one of the biggest opportunities of her career.
The matchup also places Vieira in a unique position.
She is not simply challenging for a championship.
She has the chance to defeat Cyborg in the final MMA fight of the champion’s career.
Cyborg enters the event having gone eight years without a defeat, according to PFL, and has spent more than two decades building one of the most decorated résumés in women’s MMA.
Vieira can change the ending.
Is PFL Tampa Cris Cyborg’s Retirement Fight?
Yes.
PFL has officially promoted the August 22 fight against Ketlen Vieira as Cris Cyborg’s final MMA appearance.
Cyborg has competed professionally for more than 20 years and has won championships across multiple major organizations.
Her career has also stretched across several eras of women’s MMA.
Now, rather than leaving the sport after a non-title appearance, Cyborg enters her final fight as the reigning PFL Women’s Featherweight World Champion.
That means Vieira has the opportunity to spoil the farewell and leave Tampa with the championship.
Who Is Fighting in the PFL Tampa Co-Main Event?
Gadzhi Rabadanov faces Tracy Reeder in the lightweight co-main event.
Rabadanov enters with a 27-5-2 professional record and has become one of PFL’s most recognizable lightweight contenders.
He was originally scheduled to face Jakub Kaszuba.
However, Kaszuba withdrew from the fight, leaving Reeder to step into the opportunity.
Reeder enters at 12-5 and brings significant momentum into his PFL debut.
According to PFL, he has won five consecutive fights and finished all five opponents during that run.
That makes the replacement matchup more interesting than it may appear on paper.
Rabadanov carries the bigger name.
Reeder arrives with very little to lose.
Why Is Gadzhi Rabadanov vs Tracy Reeder Worth Watching?
Rabadanov has already experienced major success in PFL competition.
The lightweight has combined control, pressure and finishing ability to establish himself among the organization’s top fighters.
Reeder, meanwhile, gets the type of opportunity that can completely change a career.
He enters the promotion against one of its established lightweight names.
A competitive performance would immediately raise his profile.
A victory would change it even faster.
Is Taila Santos Fighting at PFL Tampa?
Yes.
Former UFC title challenger Taila Santos faces unbeaten Sabrinna de Sousa in a women’s flyweight matchup.
Santos enters with a 23-4 professional record.
De Sousa enters at 6-0.
That difference in experience creates one of the card’s more interesting matchups.
Santos has already competed against elite opposition throughout her career, while de Sousa arrives undefeated and gets an opportunity to prove she belongs at a significantly higher level.
For de Sousa, it represents a major step up.
For Santos, it is the type of fight where experience is expected to matter.
What Other Fights Stand Out at PFL Tampa?
Several matchups beneath the headliner could have significant consequences.
Luke Trainer vs Roland Dunlap
England’s Luke Trainer faces undefeated American Roland Dunlap at light heavyweight.
Trainer enters with a 10-1 professional record and a five-fight winning streak.
Dunlap is 7-0 and makes his PFL appearance with a strong wrestling background.
It is another classic veteran momentum versus unbeaten prospect matchup.
Marcirley Alves vs Nkosi Ndebele
Brazil’s Marcirley Alves meets South Africa’s Nkosi Ndebele in a catchweight contest.
Alves enters with a 15-5 record, while Ndebele stands at 13-3.
Both fighters have already accumulated significant professional experience, making this one of the more evenly matched bouts on the card.
Magomed Magomedov vs Daniel Marcos
Magomed Magomedov faces Daniel Marcos in an important bantamweight contest.
Magomedov enters at 22-5, while Marcos carries an impressive 18-1 professional record.
That makes it one of the strongest fights outside the headline attractions.
Movsar Ibragimov vs Javid Basharat
Movsar Ibragimov takes on Javid Basharat in another bantamweight matchup.
Basharat enters with considerably more professional experience, while Ibragimov continues trying to establish himself against tougher opposition.
What Is the PFL Tampa August 22, 2026 Main Card?
The current PFL lineup includes:
Cris Cyborg vs Ketlen Vieira
PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship
Cyborg puts her championship on the line in the final MMA fight of her career.
Gadzhi Rabadanov vs Tracy Reeder
Lightweight
Rabadanov faces late replacement and PFL newcomer Tracy Reeder.
Taila Santos vs Sabrinna de Sousa
Women’s Flyweight
Experienced contender Taila Santos takes on undefeated prospect Sabrinna de Sousa.
Luke Trainer vs Roland Dunlap
Light Heavyweight
Trainer meets undefeated wrestler Roland Dunlap.
Marcirley Alves vs Nkosi Ndebele
Catchweight
Two experienced international fighters meet in another intriguing main-card bout.
What Fights Are on the PFL Tampa Early Card?
The early portion of PFL Tampa features several experienced names and developing prospects.
Magomed Magomedov vs Daniel Marcos
Bantamweight
Magomedov meets Marcos in one of the strongest fights outside the main card.
Movsar Ibragimov vs Javid Basharat
Bantamweight
Ibragimov faces Basharat in another competitive bantamweight contest.
Dakota Bush vs Morquez Forest
Lightweight
Dakota Bush meets Morquez Forest.
Bush enters with a 16-4 record, while Forest brings an 8-1 mark into the matchup.
Natan Schulte vs Makkasharip Zaynukov
Lightweight
Former PFL standout Natan Schulte faces Makkasharip Zaynukov.
Schulte enters at 25-6-1, giving him considerably more professional experience than many fighters on the card.
Gino Van Steenis vs Robert Watley
Lightweight
Gino Van Steenis faces Robert Watley in another lightweight matchup.
Florim Zendeli vs Omran Chaaban
Welterweight
Florim Zendeli meets Omran Chaaban in a welterweight contest.
Eoin Sheridan vs James Vake
Welterweight
Ireland’s unbeaten Eoin Sheridan faces New Zealand’s James Vake.
Sheridan enters with a perfect 5-0 record, while Vake stands at 7-2.
Full PFL Tampa Fight Card
Main Card – 9:00 PM ET
Cris Cyborg vs Ketlen Vieira
PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship
Gadzhi Rabadanov vs Tracy Reeder
Lightweight
Taila Santos vs Sabrinna de Sousa
Women’s Flyweight
Luke Trainer vs Roland Dunlap
Light Heavyweight
Marcirley Alves vs Nkosi Ndebele
Catchweight
Early Card – 5:30 PM ET
Magomed Magomedov vs Daniel Marcos
Bantamweight
Movsar Ibragimov vs Javid Basharat
Bantamweight
Dakota Bush vs Morquez Forest
Lightweight
Natan Schulte vs Makkasharip Zaynukov
Lightweight
Gino Van Steenis vs Robert Watley
Lightweight
Florim Zendeli vs Omran Chaaban
Welterweight
Eoin Sheridan vs James Vake
Welterweight
How Can You Watch PFL Tampa?
PFL currently lists the main card live on ESPN in the United States beginning at 9:00 PM ET.
The early card begins at 5:30 PM ET and is available through the ESPN App.
Fans outside the United States should use PFL’s official Where to Watch service because broadcast partners differ by country.
What Time Is PFL Tampa in Jamaica?
Jamaica is on the same UTC-5 time as Eastern Daylight Time during this period.
That means Jamaican viewers can watch:
Early Card: 5:30 PM
Main Card: 9:00 PM
Cyborg vs Vieira will headline the main card later Saturday night.
Where Is PFL Tampa Taking Place?
PFL Tampa takes place at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida.
The venue hosts Cyborg’s final MMA appearance and the conclusion of PFL’s 2026 Summer Series.
That adds another layer to the event.
This is not simply another stop on the PFL schedule.
It is being built as a farewell night for one of the defining fighters of women’s MMA.
Why Does Cyborg vs Vieira Matter?
Championship fights already carry obvious stakes.
This one has something additional.
There is no next MMA fight currently planned for Cris Cyborg.
According to PFL, this is the end.
That means every exchange against Vieira carries a sense of finality that normally does not exist during a championship defense.
If Cyborg wins, she has the chance to walk away as champion after more than two decades of competition.
If Vieira wins, she becomes the fighter who ended Cyborg’s career by taking her championship.
Either outcome gives PFL Tampa a clear place in women’s MMA history.
What Should Fans Know Before PFL Tampa?
The headline will naturally belong to Cyborg.
However, the August 22 card offers more than a retirement fight.
Rabadanov gets a dangerous replacement opponent.
Taila Santos faces an undefeated prospect.
Luke Trainer meets an unbeaten wrestler.
Magomed Magomedov and Daniel Marcos share the early card in a high-level bantamweight matchup.
Still, everything eventually leads back to the main event.
Cris Cyborg has spent more than two decades building her career.
On August 22, 2026, she plans to close that chapter inside the PFL cage.
Ketlen Vieira gets one chance to rewrite the ending.
FAQ
When is PFL Tampa 2026?
PFL Tampa takes place on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
Where is PFL Tampa taking place?
The event takes place at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida.
Who is fighting in the PFL Tampa main event?
Cris Cyborg faces Ketlen Vieira for the PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship.
Is Cyborg vs Vieira a title fight?
Yes. Cris Cyborg’s PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship is on the line.
Is PFL Tampa Cris Cyborg’s final fight?
PFL has announced Cyborg vs Vieira as Cris Cyborg’s final MMA fight.
What is Cris Cyborg’s record before PFL Tampa?
Cyborg enters the event with a professional MMA record of 29-2.
What is Ketlen Vieira’s record?
Vieira enters the fight at 16-5.
Who is fighting in the PFL Tampa co-main event?
Gadzhi Rabadanov faces Tracy Reeder at lightweight.
Why is Tracy Reeder fighting Gadzhi Rabadanov?
Reeder stepped into the fight after Rabadanov’s originally scheduled opponent, Jakub Kaszuba, withdrew.
Is Taila Santos fighting at PFL Tampa?
Yes. Taila Santos faces undefeated Sabrinna de Sousa in a women’s flyweight bout.
What time does PFL Tampa start?
The early card begins at 5:30 PM ET and the main card starts at 9:00 PM ET.
What time is PFL Tampa in Jamaica?
The early card begins at 5:30 PM Jamaica time, with the main card starting at 9:00 PM.
How can you watch PFL Tampa in the United States?
The main card airs on ESPN, while the early card is listed on the ESPN App.
How many fights are scheduled for PFL Tampa?
The current PFL lineup lists 12 fights across the main and early cards.
What is the biggest storyline at PFL Tampa?
The biggest storyline is Cris Cyborg’s final MMA fight. She will attempt to leave the sport as PFL Women’s Featherweight World Champion, while Ketlen Vieira tries to defeat her and take the title.
