Women’s MMALiz Carmouche Eyes Another Bucket-List Item
As one half of the first-ever women’s bout in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, Liz
Carmouche wears the trailblazer tag proudly. Years later, she
has become a Bellator
MMA champion, a
Professional Fighters League contender and one of the most
respected competitors in the sport.
Carmouche will put the unbeaten Elora Dana to the test when their women’s flyweight semifinal serves as the PFL 2025 World Tournament 6 co-main event on Friday at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. She not only wants to add another championship to her resume but has plans to open new doors before she even considers retirement.
“I’m pushing for that 135-pound division,” Carmouche told
Sherdog.com. “Even if it’s just superfights, I’d be really
satisfied with superfights. Just strengthening my legacy [so]
afterwards it paves the way for other fighters—I’d be happy with
that. I think superfights after this tournament, particularly at
135 pounds, would be perfect.”
Despite having her own personal goals at this late stage of her career, Carmouche values creating opportunities for those who follow in her footsteps.
Finishing her story by helping others carries tremendous value to Carmouche.
Fighters only get one shot! Watch the Semifinals of the PFL World Tournament LIVE Friday, June 20 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+
“It would mean a lot,” she said. “It would mean that I can have a sense of closure being able to close out my career knowing that I helped develop the possibilities for other fighters and to do it with an organization that I know is taking care of their fighters. It’s not like it’s going back into the promotion’s pockets. It’s going to the fighters’ pockets, and that I can stand behind.”
Before opening doors for others, the 41-year-old Carmouche still has a chance to claim PFL tournament gold. Ahead of her clash with Dana, the veteran understands the stakes.
“Everyone keeps talking about retirement and that I have nothing to lose,” Carmouche said. “In that sense, I have nothing to lose because I’m still doing this when other people have long since retired. I’m used to this. They always seem to put me up against a young up-and-comer. They think they’re going to pave their way with me, and instead, I pave my way with another loss for them and their first loss on their record.”
Before the start of the tournament, Carmouche revealed that she had bucket-list finishes she wanted to achieve before walking off into the sunset. She scratched off one of them with a body-shot stoppage of Ilara Joanne in the first round of their April quarterfinal. Carmouche plans to check off another bucket-list item against Dana.
“I have a lot of things I want to scratch off my bucket list,” she said. “There’s still my signature submissions that I want to be able to land. Honestly, just a clean KO—a head kick, a knee, an elbow that turns the lights off or completely puts them to sleep. Those are the big bucket-list ones that would really satisfy me on Friday night.”
Carmouche will put the unbeaten Elora Dana to the test when their women’s flyweight semifinal serves as the PFL 2025 World Tournament 6 co-main event on Friday at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. She not only wants to add another championship to her resume but has plans to open new doors before she even considers retirement.
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Despite having her own personal goals at this late stage of her career, Carmouche values creating opportunities for those who follow in her footsteps.
“I think the 135-pound division is still underutilized,” she said.
“We don’t see it as prevalent now in any organization; 125 is kind
of the one that has been banging along. If we can get a star that
has great selling capability, we already know the talent is out
there, but we have to have someone who has that charisma and carry
the division. That’s ultimately what is going to make it.”
Finishing her story by helping others carries tremendous value to Carmouche.
Fighters only get one shot! Watch the Semifinals of the PFL World Tournament LIVE Friday, June 20 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+
“It would mean a lot,” she said. “It would mean that I can have a sense of closure being able to close out my career knowing that I helped develop the possibilities for other fighters and to do it with an organization that I know is taking care of their fighters. It’s not like it’s going back into the promotion’s pockets. It’s going to the fighters’ pockets, and that I can stand behind.”
Before opening doors for others, the 41-year-old Carmouche still has a chance to claim PFL tournament gold. Ahead of her clash with Dana, the veteran understands the stakes.
“Everyone keeps talking about retirement and that I have nothing to lose,” Carmouche said. “In that sense, I have nothing to lose because I’m still doing this when other people have long since retired. I’m used to this. They always seem to put me up against a young up-and-comer. They think they’re going to pave their way with me, and instead, I pave my way with another loss for them and their first loss on their record.”
Before the start of the tournament, Carmouche revealed that she had bucket-list finishes she wanted to achieve before walking off into the sunset. She scratched off one of them with a body-shot stoppage of Ilara Joanne in the first round of their April quarterfinal. Carmouche plans to check off another bucket-list item against Dana.
“I have a lot of things I want to scratch off my bucket list,” she said. “There’s still my signature submissions that I want to be able to land. Honestly, just a clean KO—a head kick, a knee, an elbow that turns the lights off or completely puts them to sleep. Those are the big bucket-list ones that would really satisfy me on Friday night.”
Every Liz Carmouche TKO in under a minute ⏱️ 👊
— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 19, 2025
Don't miss Liz Carmouche's ##PFLWorldTournament semifinal bout vs Elora Dana tomorrow night at 8pm ET on ESPN
[ #PFLWorldTournament | Friday, June 20th | Early Card 5:30PM | Main Card 8PM EST | ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/Ma38uzbryI
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