{
  "id": 14886904,
  "title": "Carmouche shaves head to make weight for world title fight",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/carmouche-shaves-head-to-make-weight-for-world-title-fight",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-16T06:23:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Sport",
    "slug": "bbc-sport",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/articles/c6y0ewlnwgnlo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Liz Carmouche underwent a drastic makeover to make weight for her upcoming world title fight. The seasoned MMA fighter, who has competed in both UFC and Bellator, will face Jena Bishop for the PFL flyweight world title in Chicago. Bishop entered the bout just under the 125lb limit, but Carmouche faced a time crunch and opted for a quick hairdo to ensure she met the weight requirement. A team of electric clippers trimmed her head, revealing a few bare spots and giving her a fresh new look. Carmouche, who admitted flyweight was a challenging cut for her, explained that her increasing bone density had led to weight gain, making 135lb a more suitable weight for her performance. This bout marks a rematch of their 2025 fight, with Carmouche seeking revenge after Bishop's third-round knockout. Carmouche, a former Bellator flyweight champion, has six wins and one loss since her return to the PFL in 2024. Bishop, 40, has had a mixed record in the PFL with three losses in eight fights. A victory for Carmouche would extend her pro career record to 27 wins and one loss, with her MMA debut dating back to 2010. Despite her long career, Carmouche has no retirement plans and is set to face Briton Dakota Ditcheva, who is recovering from surgery. Carmouche believes a \"welcome back\" fight against Ditcheva would be the only sensible next step for her title defense. The fight is scheduled to take place in [March], providing Ditcheva enough time to recover from her surgery.",
  "summary": "Liz Carmouche fights for the PFL flyweight world title on Friday and was taking no chances before stepping on the scales.",
  "key_points": [
    "Liz Carmouche shaved head to make weight for PFL flyweight title fight",
    "Jena Bishop entered bout under 125lb limit, Carmouche faced weight crunch",
    "Carmouche's bone density increase made 135lb more suitable weight"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Extreme physical measures to meet weight requirements highlight the growing difficulty of competing in the flyweight division as Carmouche faces the physiological challenges of aging and increasing bone density.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}