Liz Carmouche vs. Viviane Araujo set for PFL San Diego co-main
Former Bellator flyweight champion Liz Carmouche will face fellow UFC veteran Viviane Araujo on June 27 at PFL San Diego, with the winner potentially earning a shot at undefeated titleholder Dakota Ditcheva.
The bout serves as the co-main event at Pechanga Arena in Carmouche’s hometown. MMA Fighting first reported the matchup, which pits the PFL’s No. 2-ranked flyweight against the ninth-ranked contender.
Carmouche riding momentum from 2025 tournament run
The 42-year-old Carmouche swept through the PFL flyweight tournament last year, finishing all three opponents en route to the championship. She stopped Jena Bishop in the finals to cap a run that included knockouts of Ilara Joanne and Elora Dana. That stretch followed her lone PFL loss, a decision to Taila Santos in 2024.
Araujo made her promotional debut in April, taking a unanimous decision over Shanna Young at PFL Chicago, per Sherdog. The 39-year-old Brazilian went 7-6 during a six-year UFC stint that included wins over Karine Silva, Jennifer Maia, and Andrea Lee before her exit in 2025.
According to a PFL release, the fight could determine the next challenger for Ditcheva, who remains sidelined after hand surgery kept her out for several months. A.J. McKee and Salamat Isbulaev headline the card in a featherweight clash. The main card airs on ESPN 2 at 10 p.m. ET, with prelims streaming on the ESPN app at 7 p.m. ET.
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