Jena Bishop turns a fight-night nightmare into a championship triumph, surviving Liz Carmouche’s brutal opening-round assault before using her world-class grappling to take control and claim the vacant PFL women’s flyweight title.
Bishop defeats Carmouche by unanimous decision at PFL Chicago on Friday, October 16, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois, with all three judges scoring the five-round contest 48–47 in her favour.
Carmouche wastes little time asserting herself, advancing behind her jab and attacking Bishop’s lead leg with inside kicks. Bishop looks to disrupt the veteran’s rhythm by closing the distance, driving into the clinch and working knees to the body.
Carmouche turns Bishop towards the fence before landing a right hook as they separate. Once the action returns to open space, the veteran connects with a body kick and combinations that begin to change the fight. With roughly 90 seconds remaining, Carmouche lands a powerful left hand over the top before catching Bishop with a right hook that visibly staggers her. Carmouche follows with a barrage of punches, drops Bishop with another right hand and immediately pursues the finish.
From top position, Carmouche settles into half guard and unleashes heavy ground-and-pound. She stands to deliver a punishing right hand before following with hammerfists, leaving Bishop in serious trouble as the round comes to a close.
Bishop needs a response, and she begins to find one by taking the fight away from Carmouche’s preferred striking exchanges.
After Carmouche lands an inside leg kick, Bishop clips her with a right hook and drives into a takedown. She secures top position, moves into half guard and uses shoulder pressure to control Carmouche while working punches to the body.
Bishop adds elbows, although the referee pauses the action after some appear to land near the back of Carmouche’s head. A medical check follows, and the interruption costs Bishop some of the position she has worked to establish.
Carmouche returns to her feet and throws hooks with both hands, then connects with a hook-uppercut combination. Bishop answers by pursuing another takedown, this time securing a single-leg and bringing Carmouche back to the canvas. From side control, Bishop advances towards an armbar, but Carmouche defends. Bishop settles into half guard and continues landing elbows and punches, maintaining control through the closing stages. Carmouche threatens a triangle choke late in the round, but Bishop avoids danger and finishes in a strong position.
After absorbing heavy damage in Round 1, Bishop now has momentum and earns a 10–9 round on all three unofficial Sherdog scorecards.
The pace slows as the third round begins, with Carmouche working her jab and inside leg kicks while Bishop looks for an opening to bring the fight to the ground.
Bishop presses forward with punches and secures a single-leg attempt, but Carmouche initially denies the takedown. Bishop stays attached, moves into the clinch along the fence and changes levels again.
This time, Bishop trips Carmouche to the canvas and begins working from top position. Carmouche attempts to disrupt her opponent with strikes from underneath, but Bishop advances through half guard and lands shoulder strikes and punches.
The grappling pressure continues as Bishop works her way around to Carmouche’s back. She secures both hooks, establishes a body triangle and begins threatening a rear-naked choke.
Carmouche keeps her chin tucked and defends the submission, refusing to give Bishop the finish. Bishop continues landing punches from back control to close the round, making another strong statement in the championship contest. Carmouche enters the fourth round looking to halt Bishop’s momentum, and the veteran responds with renewed urgency.
The two exchange jabs and hooks before Bishop charges forward and runs into a sprawl.
Carmouche takes top position and lands hammerfists, forcing Bishop to defend while looking for a leg lock. Carmouche stands and returns to her jab, appearing to have more energy as fatigue begins to affect both fighters.
Bishop lands a right hook but struggles to follow it with further offence. She eventually closes the distance, presses Carmouche against the fence and works knees to the body while searching for an inside trip.
Carmouche answers with short punches and prevents Bishop from establishing the same dominant back-control positions that define the previous two rounds.
The pair remain tied up as the bell sounds.
Carmouche’s improved defence and work on top give her an important response, with all three unofficial scorers awarding her the round 10–9.
The final round opens with Carmouche moving forward behind her jab and landing another inside leg kick. The two exchange hooks, and Carmouche initially denies Bishop’s attempt to take the fight to the ground.
Bishop looks increasingly fatigued, but she continues searching for an opening. Carmouche trades punches with her before leaving enough space for Bishop to secure a takedown and move around to her back.
Bishop establishes both hooks and locks in a body triangle, trapping Carmouche in a dangerous position. She begins attacking the neck, working towards the rear-naked choke while Carmouche fights to keep her chin protected.
Bishop manages to slip her arm beneath Carmouche’s chin and comes close to securing the choke. Carmouche defends and briefly escapes the tightest pressure, but she cannot shake Bishop off her back.
Even when Carmouche returns towards the canvas, Bishop stays attached and continues hunting for the submission. She launches one final choke attempt before the horn, while Carmouche survives to hear the final bell.
Bishop does not secure the finish, but her late takedown and relentless back-control pressure give her another crucial round.
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“I thought it was either going to be really easy or it would be really tough, and I was prepared for it either way,” Bishop said post-fight. “Now that I’ve been cleared, I want to be the next person to fight for [the belt],” said Ditcheva.
“I know everyone calls me a prima donna, but if I’m not next in line, I might kick up a fuss a little bit. But I kind of understand at the same time — I do keep injuring myself.”
In the night’s co-main event, boos chorused around the venue when Timur Khizriev (19-0) was announced the split decision victor of his rematch with Gabriel Braga (17-4).
Khizriev competed for the first time since he was shot five times by two masked attackers in Makhachkala, Dagestan in July 2025. That incident took place eight months after his last professional outing in November 2024, when he won the PFL featherweight tournament with a decision win over Brendan Loughnane.
He was dropped twice in the second round after being stunned by a stiff left hook by Braga in Friday’s opening stanza. Although he matched Braga’s volume, the Brazilian clearly landed the more damaging shots over the 15 minutes.
Braga cut a devastated figure when Khizriev was declared the winner, after appearing to be on the verge of putting the first blemish on Khizriev’s undefeated record.
Check out the full PFL Chicago results below.
Main Card
Jena Bishop def. Liz Carmouche via unanimous decision (48-47 x3)
Timur Khizriev def. Gabriel Braga via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Oualy Tandia def. J.P. Saint Louis via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Preliminary Card
Eliezer Kubanza def. Trey Waters via TKO (punches) — 1:36, Round1
Emiliano Sordi def. Abraham Bably via TKO (punches) — 3:13, Round 2
Kevin Pease def. Cassio Barao via submission (rear-naked choke) — 3:28, Round1
Shannon Clark def. Lucero Acosta via TKO (punches and elbows) — 1:59, Round 3
Gamid Khizriev def. Michael Boylan via TKO (punches) — 3:04, Round1
Cobey Fehr def. Rosario Romero via submission (rear-naked choke) — 0:58, Round 1
Levan Khabalaev def. Brock Hamer via TKO (knee and punches) — 1:01, Round 1
Paulina Wisniewska def. Chelsea Hackett via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Noah Hermosillo def. Caden Cox via TKO (body kick and punches) — 1:43, Round 3
