Liz Carmouche shaved her head on Thursday to make championship weight for her PFL title fight in Chicago. The veteran needed to shed the final ounces before stepping on the scale, and the Liz Carmouche weight cut ended successfully when she hit 125 pounds for Friday’s vacant women’s flyweight title bout against Jena Bishop.
Carmouche posted a video on Instagram showing her head being shaved, writing that with two-tenths of a pound left on the table, the hair had to go. “It’s just hair,” she wrote. “Now to rehydrate for tomorrow.” The Liz Carmouche Instagram post drew immediate reaction from fans surprised by the drastic last step. She documented the entire process for her followers, turning a stressful weight cut into a moment of levity ahead of fight night.
Why Liz Carmouche Made the Drastic Cut
The 42-year-old had missed weight only once in her long career, coming in one pound over for her August 2024 bout against Taila Santos. That ended a 29-fight streak of successful weigh-ins, and she was determined not to make it two misses in eight PFL fights.
Bishop weighed in at 124.6 pounds, just under the championship limit, and every fighter on the card successfully made weight. The main event is set for the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, with the main card airing at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The event marks another major card for the promotion in a city where it has drawn strong crowds in the past.
Liz Carmouche vs. Jena Bishop: The Rematch
Friday’s Liz Carmouche fight is a rematch of their August 2025 meeting in Charlotte, where Carmouche knocked out Bishop in the third round to win the 2025 women’s flyweight tournament. A repeat result would make her the first-ever PFL women’s flyweight champion.
Carmouche challenged for UFC titles in two separate divisions before becoming a long-reigning champion under the Bellator banner. The Liz Carmouche PFL run has included the tournament victory, and she has now won four fights in a row, three of them by finish, including a June win over former UFC contender Viviane Araujo.
Bishop, meanwhile, earned her title shot through the grappling-heavy style that has defined her career. The submission specialist has built her reputation on the ground, and she will need every bit of it against a veteran who has seen every style the sport offers.
The division’s biggest star, Dakota Ditcheva, is sidelined through injury, opening the door for Carmouche and Bishop to fight for the inaugural belt. A win for the 42-year-old could also set up a highly anticipated showdown with the undefeated Ditcheva down the line. Ditcheva has been the face of the division, and a future meeting between the two would be one of the biggest fights the promotion could make.
What a Liz Carmouche Win Would Mean
A victory on Friday would add another major accolade to a career that already spans the sport’s biggest promotions. At 42, Carmouche continues to compete at the highest level, and becoming the first PFL women’s flyweight champion would further strengthen her legacy.
Carmouche’s longevity is rare in a sport that seldom rewards fighters in their 40s. She has adapted her training and recovery over the years, and her current four-fight winning streak suggests those changes are working.
Bishop, a submission specialist, will be looking for revenge after the 2025 knockout. She has laughed off predictions that she will fade in the later rounds, setting up a compelling contrast of styles in the Liz Carmouche headliner.
For now, the hardest part of the week is behind her. The Liz Carmouche weight drama ended on the scale Thursday, and now the focus shifts to rehydration, recovery and the biggest fight of the PFL’s fall schedule. The belt has never been held by anyone, and Friday’s winner will set the standard for the division going forward.
Weigh-in day drama is nothing new in MMA, but few veterans handle it with the matter-of-fact attitude Carmouche showed. By Friday night, the shaved head will be old news – what matters is whether she can walk out of Chicago with the belt.
