Ketlen Vieira Hit With 6-Month Suspension After Cyborg Fight

Ketlen Vieira has been suspended six months after testing positive for a banned steroidal substance in both her A and B samples following her Aug. 22 fight with Cris Cyborg in Tampa, Florida, the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation confirmed. The suspension is retroactive to the date of the fight.

Mike Mazzulli, director of the regulatory body that now runs anti-doping testing for the Professional Fighters League, told Sherdog that Vieira's in-competition samples returned matching adverse findings. He did not identify the specific substance. Vieira was notified of the initial positive test and provisionally suspended while she awaited results of a requested B sample analysis, which has now confirmed the original finding.

What This Means For The Cyborg Fight Result

The Aug. 22 bout was already stripped of its title stakes before it started, since Vieira missed the featherweight limit by more than seven pounds and the matchup was converted from a championship fight into a 153-pound non-title contest. Cyborg made weight, gave up a notable size and strength edge, and still went the five-round distance with Vieira to improve to 30 wins in her MMA career. The positive test does not change the official result, but it adds another layer to what was already an irregular night for a fight that was supposed to be the first defense of Cyborg's PFL women's featherweight title.

Cyborg addressed the situation directly, thanking Mazzulli's department for what she called a serious testing program and noting that she accepted the fight knowing she was conceding a physical advantage. She also pointed to her own history with a doping violation in 2011, framing her comments around support for strict enforcement rather than going after Vieira personally. Vieira has said severe kidney and stomach pain before weigh-ins kept her from making championship weight, though that explanation was offered before the drug test results were confirmed.

Why This Matters For Vieira's Market Value

Vieira's positive test lands at a sensitive moment in her career, since her UFC contract had just expired after a decision win over Jacqueline Cavalcanti in May and the promotion chose not to re-sign her. She went 10-5 across nearly a decade inside the UFC Octagon before testing free agency with the Cyborg fight as her first appearance outside the promotion. A six-month suspension tied to a failed drug test is the kind of red flag that tends to cool interest from promoters and sportsbooks alike, since it raises questions about camp oversight and whether recent performances, including her showing against Cyborg, were influenced by banned substances. Any future odds on a Vieira fight will likely carry some built-in skepticism until she returns and proves herself clean under the same testing program that flagged her this time.

Cyborg, for her part, says she is reconsidering retirement after a performance she was proud of, with plans to fight twice more in MMA and once in boxing. The PFL still holds matching rights on her next contract before she can negotiate as a free agent, which keeps her price and opponent pool largely in the promotion's hands for now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Ketlen Vieira suspended?

Ketlen Vieira received a six-month suspension, retroactive to Aug. 22, 2026, after both her A and B samples tested positive for a banned steroidal substance following her fight with Cris Cyborg in Tampa, Florida.

Did Ketlen Vieira's positive test change the result of the Cyborg fight?

No, the suspension does not overturn the result; the Aug. 22 bout had already been changed from a title fight to a non-title contest after Vieira missed weight, and Cris Cyborg won to extend her MMA record to 30 victories.

Is Ketlen Vieira still with the UFC?

No, Ketlen Vieira's UFC contract ended after a win over Jacqueline Cavalcanti in May 2026, and the promotion did not re-sign her before she fought Cris Cyborg in the PFL.