Viviane Araujo will make her PFL debut Saturday night in Chicago, battling Shanna Young in a preliminary bout at the Wintrust Arena, and vows to make a great first impression.
Young is also a former UFC fighter, victorious in only one of her four octagon appearances between 2020 and 2022, who now returns to PFL two years after her last appearance under the company’s banner. Araujo, on the other hand, fought 13 times in the UFC cage for a record of 7-6, topping the likes of Roxanne Modafferi, Alexis
Davis, Andrea Lee and Jennifer Maia.
“Looking at my history and seeing everything I built and achieved in the UFC,” Araujo told MMA Fighting, “the experience and all the moments I had there, the evolution, it sure helps me arrive well in the PFL to face the athletes that are yet to come. I know that there won’t be any easy girl there, that’s for sure, because it’s also high level MMA, a big promotion, but I’m super happy to be part of this and show my evolution. I want to get to the top of this organization as well.”
Araujo’s UFC defeats have come in decisions against some of the division’s best, from former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso to future 125-pound contender Natalia Silva, and she’s now “super excited to put on a show for the fans” in PFL.
“It was a great journey inside the UFC and I’m truly grateful for all the opportunities that made me get there and show my work,” Araujo said. “I had the opportunity to reach the top, unfortunately I was stopped, but now I’m having another opportunity in another promotion. I want to show that I’m ready and now I have experience. I’m in another moment of my life, of my career, so I’m very excited to show everything that is coming next.”
Araujo revealed that her debut opponent in PFL was expected to be Montana De La Rosa, who she already defeated via decision in the UFC back in 2020, but plans changed. Young stepped in for an “even better” match-up style-wise, the Brazilian said. Young has only been stopped twice in 19 professional MMA bouts, and Araujo is confident she can join that group on April 11.
“Shana is very aggressive and I think it will be a spectacle for the fans,” Araujo said. “I see myself as a very complete athlete today so I think I will take the fight where I want and the opening that she gives me, man, she will be screwed [laughs]. That’s what I can say about my strategy, right? We’re going to look for the openings she gives me and work on top of that. She is an athlete who comes forward, who will try to knock me out, but also who may want to take me to the ground, but I will be prepared for everything.
“I’ve been a long time since I knocked someone out — I got the knockout in my UFC debut and it was a very cool feeling . I want to live that again. It’s my PFL debut, so I want a knockout as well.”
