CHICAGO — The Professional Fighters League made a triumphant return to The Windy City on October 16, 2026, delivering an electrifying night of mixed martial arts action at the Wintrust Arena. MMA fans packed the venue to witness high-stakes matchups, culminating in a historic main event that crowned a new world champion and showcased the elite grappling pedigree of one of the sport’s most formidable technicians.
In the marquee bout of the evening, Jena Bishop put her world-class grappling on full display. Navigating a tough and competitive opening round against former Bellator Champion and 2025 PFL World Tournament Champion Liz Carmouche, Bishop systematically took over the contest. Relying on her superior wrestling and suffocating mat control, Bishop grounded Carmouche for the majority of the bout, neutralizing the veteran’s dangerous striking and offensive arsenal.
The turning point of the championship fight nearly arrived in the third round, when Bishop locked in a tight rear-naked choke that looked close to ending the night. However, Carmouche demonstrated her trademark toughness and championship resilience, fighting through the submission attempt to survive the frame. Undeterred, Bishop maintained her tactical composure over the championship rounds, banking crucial control time and executing her game plan to perfection. After five hard-fought rounds, the judges scored the bout in favor of Bishop by unanimous decision, sealing a historic victory and crowning her as the inaugural PFL Women’s Flyweight World Champion.
Reflecting on her milestone victory after the fight, a beaming Bishop shared her appreciation for fighting close to her roots.
"This was so great. I love fighting in Chicago," Bishop said during her post-fight remarks. "I mean, I fought here twice this year, and had a great outcome both times, and it’s close to home, so I get my family, and, I love the city. It was great. Oh man, it feels good to add another world title to my resume. It’s great, but I think this one means a little bit more than what I’ve done in the past, so I’m really, really excited."
The co-main event provided an equally compelling tactical battle, featuring a clash between two of the division’s elite featherweight contenders. Undefeated standout Timur Khizriev squared off against former PFL Tournament Finalist Gabriel Braga in a high-paced, back-and-forth contest that tested both fighters’ endurance and skill over 15 minutes. Khizriev, ranked number two in the division, utilized his well-rounded striking and positional awareness to counter the dangerous attacks of the fifth-ranked Braga. When the final bell sounded, the judges returned a split decision in favor of Khizriev, allowing him to maintain his pristine, undefeated professional MMA record.
The main card also featured a statement performance in the bantamweight division. Sarvarjon Khamidov, holding the number six ranking, further solidified his status as a legitimate title threat with a blistering first-round knockout over Rafael do Nascimento. Khamidov found an opening in the striking exchanges, dropping do Nascimento to the canvas with a sharp, lightning-fast left hook straight to the chin. Wasting no time, Khamidov followed up with a precise and powerful barrage of hammerfists that forced the referee to step in and halt the contest at 1:49 of the opening frame. With back-to-back stoppage victories under the PFL banner, Khamidov is expected to make a significant upward surge in the bantamweight rankings.
Kicking off the main card action, undefeated welterweight Oualy Tandia made a successful promotional debut against JP Saint Louis in a catchweight encounter. Tandia showcased a mature, well-rounded skill set, effectively outstriking and outgrappling Saint Louis through the majority of the three-round affair. Although Saint Louis mounted a strong comeback in the second frame, pushing the pace and testing the newcomer, Tandia rebounded decisively in the final round. His ability to regain control and dictate the tempo secured a unanimous decision victory, keeping his unblemished professional record intact.
Full PFL Chicago Main Card Results:
PFL Women’s Flyweight World Championship Main Event: Jena Bishop defeated Liz Carmouche by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Featherweight Co-Main Event: Timur Khizriev defeated Gabriel Braga by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Bantamweight Bout: Sarvarjon Khamidov defeated Rafael do Nascimento by knockout via punches at 1:49 of round one
Catchweight Bout (173 lbs): Oualy Tandia defeated JP Saint Louis by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Full PFL Chicago Preliminary Card Results:
Welterweight Bout: Eliezer Kubanza defeated Trey Waters by knockout via punches at 1:36 of round one
Light Heavyweight Bout: Emiliano Sordi defeated Abraham Bably by technical knockout via punches at 3:13 of round two
Lightweight Bout: Kevin Pease defeated Cassio Barao by submission via rear-naked choke at 3:28 of round two
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Shannon Clark defeated Lucero Acosta by technical knockout via punches at 1:59 of round three
Lightweight Bout: Gamid Khizriev defeated Michael Boylan by technical knockout via elbows at 3:04 of round one
Bantamweight Bout: Cobey Fehr defeated Rosario Romero by submission via rear-naked choke at 0:58 of round one
Lightweight Bout: Levan Khabalaev defeated Brock Hammer by technical knockout via strikes at 1:01 of round one
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Paulina Wisniewska defeated Chelsea Hackett by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Featherweight Bout: Noah Hermosillo defeated Cade Cox by technical knockout via body kick and punches at 1:43 of round three
