Liz Carmouche vs Viviane Araujo Set for PFL San Diego Co-Main
Former Bellator flyweight champion Liz Carmouche will face UFC veteran Viviane Araujo in the co-main event of PFL San Diego on June 27 at Pechanga Arena. The matchup pairs the promotion’s second-ranked 125-pounder against the ninth-ranked contender in a bout with clear title implications, per MMA Fighting.
Carmouche enters off a flawless 2025 campaign that saw her sweep the PFL flyweight tournament with three straight wins. The 42-year-old San Diego native stopped Jena Bishop in the finals and picked up two other finishes during the run, bouncing back from her only PFL loss — a 2024 decision to Taila Santos. Since leaving the UFC in 2019, Carmouche has compiled a 12-1 record.
Araujo Looks to Build Momentum After PFL Debut Win
Araujo made her PFL debut in April with a unanimous decision over Shanna Young at PFL Chicago. The 39-year-old Brazilian went 7-6 during her UFC tenure from 2019 to 2025, trading wins and losses but notching victories over Karine Silva, Jennifer Maia, and Andrea Lee. According to Sherdog, the promotion views the fight as a potential number one contender eliminator with undefeated champion Dakota Ditcheva recovering from a hand injury that kept her out for several months.
Carmouche, ranked among the best flyweights in the world for years, holds wins over former champions Juliana Velasquez, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, and Valentina Shevchenko across multiple promotions. Araujo dropped her final three UFC bouts to Tracy Cortez, Natalia Silva, and Alexa Grasso before making the jump to PFL.
The main card airs on ESPN 2 at 10 p.m. ET, with A.J. McKee facing Salamat Isbulaev in the featherweight headliner. Prelims stream on the ESPN app starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Original reporting:
- mmafighting.com — Liz Carmouche faces fellow UFC veteran in PFL San Diego co-main event | MMA Fighting
- sherdog.com — Pivotal women’s flyweight clash booked for PFL San Diego co-main event