Ketlen Vieira Suspended for Six Months After Positive Steroid Test Following Fight with Cris Cyborg
Ketlen Vieira Receives Six-Month Suspension After Positive Drug Test Post-Cyborg Bout
Nearly two months after her 30th mixed martial arts victory, Cris Cyborg called her August 22 fight against fellow Brazilian Ketlen Vieira in Tampa, Florida, "extremely unusual." The event saw Vieira miss weight by over seven pounds, turning what was supposed to be a title defense into a non-title bout.
New developments revealed that Vieira tested positive for a steroidal substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Mike Mazzulli, director of the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation, confirmed that both Vieira’s A and B samples from the in-competition test showed the same adverse finding.
- Ketlen Vieira missed weight by more than seven pounds before the Cyborg fight.
- Both A and B samples confirmed presence of banned steroidal substance.
- Six-month suspension imposed retroactively from the fight date.
Mazzulli did not specify the exact banned substance but announced Vieira's six-month suspension starting from the date of the fight. Vieira was provisionally suspended pending her requested B sample analysis.
"Thank you to Mike Mazzulli and everyone involved in maintaining a serious testing program," said Cyborg. "I believe clean sport deserves strong enforcement."
The Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation replaced the United States Anti-Doping Agency as the PFL’s anti-doping partner in 2025. This department had previously managed Bellator MMA’s drug-testing program.
Representatives for Vieira, the PFL, and the Florida Athletic Commission, which regulated the event, did not respond to requests for comment.
Fight Background and Weight Issues
The bout was initially set as Cyborg's first defense of her PFL women's featherweight title. The 41-year-old champion had won the belt by defeating Australian Sara Collins late last year. Her challenger, Vieira, had spent nearly a decade competing in the UFC.
- Vieira’s UFC record: 10 wins, 5 losses.
- Alternated wins and losses in her final four years with UFC.
- Contract ended after a win in May; UFC chose not to re-sign her.
Three months after beating Jacqueline Cavalcanti in her last UFC fight, Vieira signed on to challenge Cyborg for the PFL belt. However, Vieira missed weight by over seven pounds. Cyborg made championship weight but agreed to fight at 153 pounds in a non-title match.
"I still accepted the fight and stepped into the cage knowing I would be giving up a significant physical advantage," Cyborg said.
Vieira told MMAFighting.com that severe kidney and stomach pain before the weigh-ins prevented her from making featherweight.
"Ketlen, I respect you," Cyborg added. "I know what it takes to step into that cage. I wish you nothing but success moving forward. I understand fighters can face tough circumstances during fight camp. I have no interest in attacking her personally."
Cyborg Reflects on Her Career and Future
After five intense rounds against a strong opponent, Cyborg expressed pride in her performance and even reconsidered retirement plans. She has been undefeated for nearly eight years since losing the UFC featherweight title to Amanda Nunes. Cyborg plans to fight two more MMA bouts and one boxing match.
The PFL currently holds the right to match any contract she signs, after which she will become an unrestricted free agent.
"My career has not been perfect, and I never tried to hide from my past," Cyborg said. "In 2011, I tested positive for a banned substance, served my suspension, accepted responsibility, and changed how I managed my team and supplements. Since then, I've competed under the most rigorous testing programs in MMA, including those overseen by Mike Mazzulli, and have continued to pass tests."
She emphasized that strict, independent testing is critical to protect fighters, the sport, and the legacies built over lifetimes.
