Former Bellator flyweight champion Juliana Velasquez is set to make her PFL debut in a trilogy fight against Liz Carmouche, returning with a different mindset after losing her title to Carmouche in a controversial TKO in April 2022 and a subsequent rematch later that year.
Ex-Bellator flyweight champ, Juliana Velasquez, is back in the ring. This Thursday night, she’s making her PFL debut. She’s up against Liz Carmouche in a trilogy fight in San Antonio. But this time, she’s coming in with a different mindset.
Last year, Velasquez lost her title to Carmouche. It was a controversial TKO in April 2022. Velasquez wasn’t happy about it, thought it was an early stoppage. She even appealed to the Hawaii commission, but they denied her.
They had a rematch later that year. Carmouche won again, this time with a second-round armbar. Velasquez had to take a break after that. She had health issues, an infection that forced her to cancel a fight in Bellator in late 2023. But she’s not holding any grudges against “Girl-Rilla.”
Velasquez feels lighter now. She said so on MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast. She’s even bumped into Carmouche a few times at the hotel. Before their rematch, she couldn’t stand the sight of Carmouche. But not this time.
She shook Carmouche’s hand when they met. She’s got a different mindset now. She needed the time away. She’s excited to be back, wants to finish Carmouche, but she’s happy. She’s always fought this way, doing what she’s trained for.
Velasquez has only lost twice in MMA, both times to Carmouche. She admits that it helps her compete better this time. That second loss in 2022 was a turning point for her. It took a weight off her shoulders. People always asked her what it was like to be undefeated. She’d say she felt no pressure, but that was a lie. She felt the pressure to keep her record clean. She put a lot of pressure on herself.
But now, the pressure’s gone. She’s just there to have fun. She’s not thinking about the rematch, the anger. Carmouche is a fresh opponent to her.
Velasquez mentioned Dakota Ditcheva as one of the toughest opponents in the 2024 PFL season. But she feels Ditcheva still needs to be tested against tougher competition. Ditcheva won the PFL Europe season in 2023. Carmouche, who didn’t understand why they booked the trilogy right away, isn’t the only one. Velasquez questioned the promotion too.
She didn’t think it made sense. They told her it was to promote the card. There was no other rivalry, only theirs. So, they decided to go with the trilogy. At first, she didn’t get it. But she’s an employee, she has to fight. She has to beat Carmouche if she wants to win the season. Whether it’s in the beginning or the end, she has to beat everyone to reach the final for the $1 million. So, she’s ready.