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After two years of navigating tournament brackets, Jena Bishop is looking forward to making her statement each time out, against every opponent.
Bishop, who was the 2025 Professional Fighters League women’s flyweight runner-up and a 2024 semifinalist, has maintained her spot as a top contender in the PFL’s flyweight division, and has another notable test in front of her when she takes on UFC veteran Ariane Lipski da Silva at PFL San Diego on Saturday.
Fighting in her backyard of San Diego where she has made the most of her professional career, Bishop is coming off a win earlier this year where she had a first-round submission victory over Borena Tsertsvadze back in April. Speaking to Sherdog.com, Bishop made it clear that she is coming to put herself atop the flyweight title conversation and is not waiting around to earn her respect or her place; she’s out to take it.
With former opponent Liz Carmouche being featured in the co-main event against Viviane Araujo, Bishop says she’ll have her eyes on the result, as there have been hints that the big winners of the night will see a big opportunity.
“I’m definitely paying attention to that,” she said, “because from what everything has been talked about, it’s kind of been hinted that those fights are deciding things for the top of the division. There’s five girls in title contention, and while I have a lot of things to say, I’m just excited about the opportunity to get a title contention type of fight.”
Despite several question marks hanging around the top of the women’s flyweight division regarding title contention, Bishop is looking to make more than a statement, she wants an emphatic notice sent out that she can’t be overlooked.
“I don’t know what all I’ve got to do to show people that,” she said. “I don’t know. I’m just going to show out the best I can, and yeah, let’s get this win in the best, most exciting fashion ghat I can. I just want to get done and be like ‘Don’t look past me. Don’t overlook me. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. I think that if you ask any of the girls that are ranked ahead of me, who they want, give them the Top 10 and put my name in front of them, guaranteed they’re all scared to take that fight.”
Not allowing anyone to overlook her career pedigree, Bishop, who has six of her 10 career wins by submission, enjoys and embraces the fact that opponents hesitate to go to the ground with her.
“Of course I like that,” Bishop said. “I take pride in that. I love that people are afraid to go to the ground with me, because you should be. You definitely should be. It’s somewhere I excel. I’m a world champion in jiu-jitsu, and I’m not just one of those world champions that only fought in the gi and only can do IBJJF. I can fight on the ground and I think that’s a special skill that I have really honed to be perfect for MMA.”
Her ground specialization also makes for intriguing matchups with opponents like Da Silva, who Bishop believes is a good striker but does not present any unique challenge.
“I think she’s a good striker, she got decent striking but it’s a little bit more conventional than a lot of the people that I’ve fought. I feel like there’s more regimented in her striking than a lot of people, where I think, in my opinion, it seems like there’s not a lot that veers in her game or striking off of the traditional game plan. It’s pretty similar throughout her career.”
Having an added bonus of fighting in her adoptive hometown, where she’ll be surrounded by her family, friends, teammates, and her dog, Bishop has everything behind her to make the most out of another home-field opportunity where she once thrived back at Bellator 300. Bishop knows that there are rumors that a women’s flyweight champion will be crowned by the end of the year, and while she has previous losses to Carmouche and Dakota Ditcheva, she’s not going to let any ranking or opponent stand between her and a world title.
She might not be given the same amount of respect as other top contenders in her division, so Bishop will continue her focus of beating everyone in front of her, taking the respect and credit she’s been deserved. It continues with Da Silva on June 27, and could all come together by the end of the year as she looks to keep building momentum as a real threat, a real test, and real championship caliber.
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