Ketlen Vieira was issued a six-month suspension after failing a drug test in her PFL debut against featherweight champion Cris Cyborg, the UFC veteran confirmed to MMA Fighting following a report from Sherdog.
The banned substance was not disclosed, but in a statement to MMA Fighting, Vieira said she didn’t use it to obtain an advantage in the fight. Vieira’s suspension is retroactive to the date of the fight, meaning she will be cleared to fight again on March 22, 2027.
According to Vieira, she decided to take medication to treat a knee injury after parting ways from the UFC and leaving that drug testing pool. Vieira was signed by PFL less than a month after beating Jacqueline Cavalcanti in her final UFC fight in May, and booked to face Cyborg in August.
Vieira missed weight by seven pounds for her clash with Cyborg citing kidney and stomach pain during her weight cut, and lost via unanimous decision.
Check Vieira’s full statement below.
“The thing is, throughout my time in the UFC, my team and I were always extremely careful with supplements and medical treatments to ensure there was never any risk of a test detecting a prohibited substance. In 10 years with the organization, there was never a single incident.
“However, after leaving the UFC and becoming a free agent, I had the opportunity to take a more comprehensive approach to my health and undergo medical treatment for a knee injury that I had been monitoring for a long time but that never fully healed due to the various medication restrictions I had to follow while competing in the UFC.
“So, my team and I took advantage of the fact that I had no active contract and focused heavily on treating my knee. I was able to take the necessary medications to help ensure the best possible recovery.
“What none of us expected, however, was to be surprised by the great news that I had been signed by the PFL. As soon as we learned about the opportunity, we immediately discontinued all medications, but continued with non-medication treatments.
“To be completely honest, I believed that given the time between stopping the medications and my fight, there would be no possibility of any substance showing up in my tests. However, after the fight, we were informed that this had occurred.
“Despite what happened, we thank God that the knee treatment has produced good results. Since there was no intent to violate any rules on our part, the PFL decided to give me a six-month period to ensure everything is in order before my next fight.
“Now, the focus is on maintaining my overall health and keeping my knee in good condition while continuing to prepare for my next appearance.”