Photo: Getty Images/UFC | Caption: Sherdog.com/Ben
Duffy
Top notch
featherweights headline PFL San Diego: Tune in Saturday, June 27 at
7 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.
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Viviane
Araujo didn’t ask for easy assignments, nor is she getting
one.
After a successful debut bout in the
Professional Fighters League this past April, “Vivi” now
prepares to clash with a nearly irresistible force when she meets
fellow
Ultimate Fighting Championship alumna Liz
Carmouche on June 27 at
PFL San Diego.
Carmouche is the PFL’s most recent flyweight tournament champion.
The 16-year veteran holds notable wins over the likes of Jessica
Andrade and Valentina
Shevchenko, not to mention being on a 12-1 run since 2020.
Araujo is keenly aware of the potential risks and rewards. Though
no belt is up for grabs this weekend, an emphatic win would most
likely catapult her to title contention.
Speaking in her native Portuguese, Araujo had nothing but praise
for her next opponent: “I have a lot of respect for her. She’s a
very experienced athlete. She’s proven repeatedly that she belongs
at the top. She’s a complete fighter. She’s strong and has a ton of
experience in the cage. We can see that she always shows up
well-prepared.”
Respect aside, the goal remains to vanquish the ageless American.
“This will be another great challenge in my career. This is why I
fight. I expect to beat her by imposing my rhythm and having an
intelligent fight. My biggest objective for San Diego is to have my
hand raised at the end, no matter how. It can be a knockout,
submission, or decision. I’ll show once more that I belong at the
highest level.”
Most MMA fans know Araujo from her six-year stint in the UFC.
Though that’s in the past now, Araujo is thankful for the
experience. “The most important moment in my career was my arrival
to the UFC,” she said. “It was confirmation of all the hard work I
put in over the years, to be among the best in the world. I faced
opponents at the highest level. It proved the consistency of my
work. I remained in the top 10. It was a period of high visibility.
I was able to show my work to the entire world.”
Today, in the PFL, she continues to pen her history and reach for
new goals. The hunger for victory remains the same. Araujo got
ready once again at the Cerrado MMA academy, in Brasilia, Brazil’s
capital. The academy has hosted several world-class competitors,
from Vicente
Luque and Gilbert
Burns to the Bonfim brothers, Ismael and
Gabriel.
Once again, no stone was left unturned. Training involved general
striking, muay thai, wrestling, no-gi jiu-jitsu, luta livre and
boxing, as well as special emphasis on physical conditioning.
She feels ready and confident. “For this fight, I’ll arrive very
strong,” she said. “I’ll also be very technical, especially
regarding strategy. We’re studying my opponent extensively, in all
her areas of strength.”
Despite nearing her forties, Araujo still sees a bright future
ahead. “My plan is to continue to evolve in the sport. Now that I
have a new home in the PFL, I’m looking forward to fighting and
putting on great performances. I like the PFL format. It allows us
to fight repeatedly throughout the year. My last fight was in
April. Now I’m back in June. It’s a small time gap, so I managed to
remain focused. I’m enjoying the opportunity to fight more often.
My objective is to capture the PFL belt, stay active, and keep my
name at the very top for the next few years.”