Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison regained her joy for mixed martial arts competition when she entered the UFC Octagon for the first time.
Harrison jumped into the deep end in 2024, committing to a weight drop that appeared unrealistic in the eyes of many in order to realize her dream of competing on MMA’s biggest stage.
Having won a pair of gold medals in judo and found championship success inside the PFL SmartCage, Harrison set her sights on a long-discussed pursuit of UFC gold. And that got underway in the perfect way.
Harrison has since acknowledged her enjoyment throughout fight week and inside the Octagon. That feeling, as it turns out, was something she was missing during the latter part of her PFL stint.
Kayla Harrison Relished UFC ‘Challenge’ After Unexciting Period
During a recent appearance on UFC Unfiltered, Harrison looked back on her first taste of the UFC experience, both outside the cage and opposite “The Preacher’s Daughter” on fight night.
In addition to advancing her competitive goals by immediately breaking into the bantamweight rankings at #4, Harrison spoke about the positive impact the change of scenery has had on her.
Put simply, she is enjoying fighting again.
“It’s tough because, first of all, I f*cking love the UFC. I am a company girl now, through and through,” Harrison said. “The level of professionalism, the level of excitement, the energy, the employees’ enthusiasm, their kindness. I was just like, ‘Hell yeah!’ I was cutting a bunch of weight, so I was kind of riding that energy high all week.
“It felt a lot like the Olympics. Not as big… but it felt very similar,” Harrison continued. “Like, ‘Oh sh*t, here I am. This is what I’ve been training my whole life for. Every single part of my story led me to this moment.’ And when I stepped in the cage, man, (I was) calm, cool, and collected… I enjoyed the whole process. I was super pumped to fight Holly. Listen, I’ve fought a lot of tough fighters, but I think it had been a while since I was excited to fight. I don’t really fight for money. I wanted a challenge.”
A brand new episode of #UFCUnfiltered featuring Kayla Harrison (@KaylaH) and comedian Che Durena just dropped‼️🎙
While Harrison focuses on journey toward another piece of gold in combat sports, her former employer continues to take digs at her.
During a recent appearance on the Weighing In podcast with John McCarthy and Josh Thomson, PFL founder and chairman Donn Davis branded Harrison a “follower who needs validation.”
It was the moment Kayla Harrison’s dream was shattered. Sitting cageside at UFC 269, the two-time PFL women’s lightweight champ watched in disbelief as monumental underdog Julianna Peña took the back of Amanda Nunes, sunk in a rear-naked choke, and forced the Baddest Woman on the Planet to tap.
For months, speculation had been rife that Harrison, at the time testing free agency, would soon sign with the UFC, face Nunes, and perhaps become the first to dethrone the seemingly unbeatable Brazilian. But as she watched Peña beat her to it, Harrison knew that the opportunity of her career—to defeat the GOAT and thereby claim the title for herself—had just passed agonizingly by.
Kayla Harrison’s hilarious reaction to Nunes getting beat #UFC269
Perhaps Nunes’ defeat factored into her decision. The massive spectacle (and payday) that a matchup with the Brazilian promised is now a far less attractive prospect. That aside, it seems there are other compelling reasons why Harrison may have made the right decision—both financially and for her long-term career.
Why Staying In The PFL Is Good For Harrison’s Career
As inexperienced Kayla is, the opponents thrown her way in the PFL are even more so. Her last opponent, Taylor Guardado, had a pro MMA career spanning less than two years and four fights when the duo met in October last year. Her opponent before that, Genah Fabian, had just five fights. And if Harrison’s opponents aren’t inexperienced, they have worryingly checkered records. When she fought Mariana Morais in May last year, the Brazilian was 16-10.
PHOTO: ESPN
Sure, Harrison has looked impressive, having ended seven of her twelve fights in the first round. But whether she can defeat someone like Amanda Nunes, whose 14-year, 26 fight career has mostly taken place in the UFC, is highly debatable. Fighting Nunes or Peña now would certainly be in their favor, and if Kayla were to lose, it would irreparably damage her star power. Fighting them after a few more years growing as a mixed martial artist in the PFL will surely be in Harrison’s.
And why not stay and work on her game in the PFL, where she’s made $2 million by winning the lightweight tournament in the last two years? And now with her new contract, Harrison is reportedly the highest-paid female mixed martial artist of all time. Despite the UFC offering Harrison a “first-of-its-kind” deal during her free agency, even its president, Dana White, believes the easy, more-than-generous paydays she earns in the PFL are too good to give up.
“They pay her an obscene amount of money to fight over there,” White said of Harrison’s PFL stint in October. “If I was her, I’d stay right where she is and keep picking off the people over [there]. When you come here [chuckles], Amanda Nunes is no joke; Shevchenko is no joke; Rose Namajunas—these are all the best women in the world, the best female fighters in the world.”
The Personal Reasons Keeping Kayla Harrison In The PFL
Part of the reason why Harrison made the decision, it seems, is because she’s motivated by conflicting ambitions. Yes, she wants to prove she’s the best. But having recently acquired legal guardianship of two children, her quest for GOAT status has become complicated by the need for financial security.
“Three years ago, I would have said legacy,” Harrison said of her ambitions in a February interview with ESPN. “That’s all I give a shit about. My advisers, they care about security. Obviously, I have two kids now, so for me, as hard as it is, security comes first. I have to make sure. There’s no guarantees in this life. There’s no certainties. I could snap my neck tomorrow and never fight again. Security is important. But if I can find a way to have security and continue to build my legacy, I think that’s a winner.”
The question is: can Harrison have her cake and eat it too?
Kayla Harrison (Image Credit: PFL MMA)
The Less Travelled Road To GOAT Status In The PFL
Having been given assurances by the PFL, Kayla Harrison earnestly believes that she’ll get the big, legacy-building fights while fighting in the promotion. And one matchup that she feels will help her on the road to GOAT status is with Bellator featherweight champ Cris Cyborg, which PFL founder Donn Davis has promised to aggressively pursue through a cross-promotion.
“When I talked to Donn, and one of the things that really sort of put my worries about my legacy to rest, was he was like, ‘Listen, ‘I don’t care if we have to do this on the Moon, I don’t care if we have to cross-promote, co-promote, we’re going to make this fight happen. This is the fight to make happen,’” Harrison told The Underground this month. “I was like, ‘Well, hell yeah, it is. Let’s go.’”
Unlike the UFC, which is notoriously unwilling to stage a cross-promotion fight, there’s a good chance that Bellator will, having previously done so with Rizin Fighting Federation in 2019. But even if Harrison were to land a big-money fight with Cyborg, defeating her would by no means confer GOAT status in the eyes of fans.
So, is Harrison sacrificing her prime years in a promotion that many, including Peña, regard as the ‘B-Leagues?’ There’s certainly an argument for that. But by staying in the PFL for a few more years, Harrison will emerge a much more complete fighter. And if she does enter the UFC in the future, she’ll undoubtedly have a much more realistic chance of becoming the greatest of all time.
What do you think? Was staying in the PFL the right move for Kayla Harrison?
Kayla Harrison has come to the defense of fellow MMA fighters against trolls.
Kayla Harrison is not going to sit back and let people bash her fellow MMA fighters. Harrison is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about female fighters in the world and having all that spotlight shining on her seems like a good opportunity to express her true feelings.
In an interview with Sirius XM, Harrison spoke about her feelings towards people on the internet dissing the women she faces.
“The internet is just full of all this noise,” Harrison said. “I used to get so upset by it, but I really just want to say to them, shame on you. Shame on you for calling these women—first of all, women’s MMA wasn’t even a real thing how many years ago. This has been built very quickly and it’s grown exponentially because of Miesha, because of Ronda, because of all these girls who are like, ‘I’m so good you can’t ignore me’ basically. Now we have women who are stepping into the cage who are working two jobs and who are single moms and are doing all this stuff and they are actually chasing their dreams and who are literally fighting for what they love.”
Kayla Harrison (Photo: Instagram @JudoKayla)
Harrison recently re-signed with PFL. PFL has been her home for MMA for the past three seasons. Leading up to this 2022 season, Harrison was toying with the idea of leaving the promotion and targeted a potential bout with Cris Cyborg in Bellator.
“And these a–holes on the internet have the balls to call them cans, like no, you’re a can,” Harrison said. “You’re a can, you’re a tomato can, you’re a POS, how dare you talk about these women like that? It’s so frustrating to me.”
Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has detailed the negotiations that took place and the offer she received from the UFC during her time as a free agent.
While the past six months have seen new stories and headlines develop, one constant point of discussion has been the future of Harrison.
Following her victory over Taylor Guardado in October, a triumph that extended her unbeaten record to 12-0 and secured her second consecutive PFL lightweight championship, the Ohio native entered the uncertain waters of free agency.
Despite the final weeks of her free agency suggesting either a signing with Bellator or another stint with PFL, Harrison recently revealed she had positive discussions with the UFC.
Harrison Also Received ‘First-Of-Its-Kind’ Offer From UFC
As it turns out, that wasn’t the only special deal on her table.
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Harrison detailed the negotiations that took place between her team and the UFC, revealing that the Dana White-led promotion also sent a ‘first-of-its-kind’ deal her way.
“There were good interactions (with the UFC). It was a great deal (that they offered). And I think, again, I was very pleased to hear that it’s an offer that hasn’t really happened before,” said Harrison.
Ultimately, the 31-year-old cited different guarantees and timing as the reasons why the UFC’s offer wasn’t further assessed.
“But I think that the guarantee is a little bit different. I don’t really know how to say this. It was a great offer, but getting into all the moving parts, getting into behind the scenes, getting into all the little things that people may not understand or know about—it didn’t make sense and the timing wasn’t right. And also, it didn’t matter because PFL would’ve matched that one,” Harrison concluded.
For now, at least, fans will continue seeing Harrison in the PFL. While she plans on making a run for her third straight championship in this year’s season, the former judoka is targeting big fights in 2023.
Kayla Harrison feels she needs to eventually square off with Cris “Cyborg” Justino and Amanda Nunes to claim GOAT status.
Harrison recently re-signed with the PFL following a lengthy free agency process in which she flirted with the idea of signing with top promotions such as Bellator and the UFC. Bellator offered the top deal for Harrison before PFL matched and ultimately signed her to a new contract.
Harrison has recently said that earning GOAT status is attainable in the PFL, despite some critics noting her alleged lack of competition in the league. She is undefeated in her MMA career and is coming off of another championship-winning season in the PFL.
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Harrison laid out her roadmap towards potentially earning the title of the greatest combat sports athlete of all time.
“I just think I have to keep putting one foot in front of the other,” Harrison said. “I think I definitely need to beat Cyborg. I’d really like to fight Amanda, beat Amanda if I’m going to go ahead and say it. That’s obviously in the cards. I gotta win a couple more titles. If I win belts in every major organization or beat champions in every major organization, then does that make me the greatest of all time?”
Kayla Harrison (Image Credit: PFL MMA)
Harrison has dominated her competition to this point in her professional career, most recently finishing Taylor Guardado and Genah Fabian. She is expected to get a step up in competition this year after the league signed former Bellator champion Julia Budd for the 2022 season.
Harrison had previously been coy regarding a fight with Nunes but seems more open to it now after Nunes’ departure from American Top Team. She and Justino have also gone back-and-forth on social media in recent weeks, ramping up talks of a fight between them.
Harrison will have the opportunity to silence the critics in 2022 and beyond. If she’s able to defeat top female fighters such as Nunes and Justino, it would be hard to argue against the notion that she deserves to be in the all-time great conversation.
How do you think Kayla Harrison would fare against Amanda Nunes and Cris Cyborg?
MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz says talks of his client Kayla Harrison fighting Cris “Cyborg” Justino could theoretically happen, despite Harrison’s new deal with the PFL.
Harrison concluded her free agency by re-signing with the PFL, despite lucrative offers from Bellator and the UFC. In addition to signing Harrison, the PFL announced that they intend to launch a “super fight division” to garner the attention of some of the best fighters around the sport.
Talks of a fight between Harrison and Cyborg began when Cyborg defeated Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 271. Harrison was a guest of Bellator President Scott Coker to watch Cyborg put on a dominant performance.
Tensions between Harrison and Cyborg have skyrocketed in recent weeks. This was after Harrison challenged Cyborg to a fight at American Top Team before getting blocked by her on Twitter.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Abdelaziz explained how a Harrison vs. Cyborg fight can still happen down the line, which is for the reigning Bellator featherweight champion to jump ship.
“Listen, Cyborg is a Bellator fighter. Kayla is a PFL fighter,” Abdelaziz said. Whatever super fight is gonna happen, it’s gonna happen with someone inside PFL. It’s not going to happen with someone in Bellator, because it’s a completely different entity. At the end of the day, I know both people, I’m good with both people, but it’s very hard to get two promoters to sit down and talk. I can be in the middle if they ask me to, but at the end of the day, PFL people fight people in the PFL. To be honest with you, I don’t know of any other champion in another promotion who would fight Kayla.”
Abdelaziz went on to question whether or not a fight with Harrison is a matchup that Cyborg would want.
“I don’t know if she does, I don’t know if she doesn’t. I just think people can say things, but when a contract is drawn, we don’t know what kind of move you’re going to make. You don’t know how you’re going to feel, what kind of butterfly you’re going to feel. One thing I can tell you, [Kayla’s] the greatest fighter of all time. It’s not Ronda, it’s not Amanda Nunes, she is. She’s the most dominant.”
Harrison is getting ready to defend her women’s lightweight title in the upcoming 2022 PFL season. She defeated Taylor Guardado last October for her second consecutive championship in the league.
As for Cyborg, she’s set to face Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 279 in April. She’s won five straight since losing to Amanda Nunes at UFC 232.
If a Harrison vs. Cyborg fight will happen this year, it would have to take place in a cross-promotion event. But according to Abdelaziz, the only way the fight ever happens would be if Cyborg joined the PFL. For now, any conflict between Harrison and Cyborg will only take place from afar.
Do you think Kayla Harrison vs. Cris Cyborg will eventually happen?
Undefeated PFL veteran Kayla Harrison spoke on her past sexual abuse and hitting one of the lowest points in her life.
Undoubtedly, Harrison has proven her toughness. Before she was a dominant force in the Professional Fighters League, she crushed the Judo Olympic competition in 2012 and 2016, taking home the gold twice.
And it didn’t stop there. Harrison continued her exemplary legacy in MMA and became the PFL Women’s Lightweight World Champion in 2019, and she would go on to win the 2021 lightweight tournament as well.
Kayla Harrison, Photo Credit: Getty Images
Kayla Harrison proves time and time again why she is one of the fiercest competitors in the game by delivering 5 knockouts and 5 submissions in her 12-fight career.
It takes more than just physical capability to be as powerful as Kayla in the cage. It takes a strong mind to put in the effort to be great.
All of her accomplishments justify the strength she has mentally, to grow and forgive a traumatic event of her past. At a young age, Harrison was sexually abused by her coach, and it made her question her will to live.
That dark time forced her to make a decision.
“When I was in my teens, I was suicidal. I didn’t want to live. I got to the point where I was either gonna run away, kill myself, or say something,” she told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour.
Harrison is thankful to herself for mustering the courage to speak out against her abusive coach. He was put away for ten years, released in 2016.
She suffered from PTSD and felt she hit several low points in her life. And although that event was scarring for her, she expressed appreciation for it.
“I’m not sorry. No, I’m grateful because I think that everything happens for a reason, and then I think that I wouldn’t be who I am today if I hadn’t gone through that and I wouldn’t be the person I am, the fighter I am, and the survivor I am, the mother I am… the friend I am. I wouldn’t be Kayla if I hadn’t gone through that and I wouldn’t be able to change the world the way I want to if that hadn’t happened to me, ya know?”
Kayla Harrison uses the traumatic experience as a reason to be a better person, instead of allowing it to consume her mind and dig her into a deeper pit of despair.
Her courageous acts and phenomenal performances make her a true inspiration for many people out there. She is living proof that it is possible to change the course of your life and not allow your past to overcome you.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Bellator president Scott Coker is questioning Kayla Harrison’s decision to re-sign with the PFL and not sign with either Bellator or the UFC.
Harrison concluded her free agency this week when she opted to re-sign with the PFL on a multi-year deal. She also had conversations with the UFC and Bellator before ultimately deciding to stay loyal to PFL.
Coker and Bellator pitched the top offer to Harrison before the PFL matched shortly afterward.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Coker opined that Harrison could have ongoing issues finding elite competition in the PFL.
“With Kayla right now, I don’t know who she’s gonna fight over there,” Coker said of Harrison. “She’s got to fight the girls that are the dominant girls in that weight class, (who) are Cyborg, to me the greatest female fighter of all time, Amanda Nunes, and then Kayla. She’s growing, she’s doing very well, but she’s got to fight somebody to really showcase that she has that ability to fight at that elite level.
Kayla Harrison and Cindy Dandois in their lightweight fight at PFL 6 (PHOTO: Cooper Neill / PFL)
“And that’s why we made a run because Cris Cyborg was like, ‘Look, I’ll fight anybody, and let’s get her on.’ And we said, ‘Hey, that would be a fun fight to promote,’ but listen, it didn’t work out. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t, good for them, but we’re gonna move forward with our business with Cris. We’re in the Cris Cyborg business. I just hope they find somebody to fight Kayla at some point.”
Harrison is getting ready to compete in the 2022 PFL season and will look to defend her women’s lightweight title. Harrison defeated Taylor Guardado for the PFL Championship last October.
Harrison had been rumored to be tied to superfights with former UFC champions Amanda Nunes and Cris “Cyborg” Justino. In addition to Harrison’s new deal, the PFL has announced that they will open a “superfight division” to attract top talent to the league.
Do you think Kayla Harrison made the right move to return to PFL?
Newly re-signed PFL women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison feels she can accomplish her goals in the PFL without joining another promotion.
After months of negotiating and hearing offers, Harrison elected to re-sign with the PFL after a lengthy free agency process. She signed a new multi-year deal with the league and is set to compete in the league’s upcoming 2022 season.
A big talking point of Harrison’s free agency was her level of competition so far during her 12-0 professional career. She had once been linked to potential matchups with Bellator featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino and former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes.
But Harrison feels that the league is ready to take the next step and add more talent to the roster amidst her new contract.
“I think there were a lot of contract negotiations, there were a lot of offers, many of them very lucrative,” Harrison said. “Ultimately, the PFL had the right to match any contract offer I received and they stepped up in a big way, and now I’m going to be staying with the PFL. I’m excited.
Kayla Harrison (Image Credit: PFL MMA)
“I talked to [PFL founder and chairman] Donn Davis last night, and he made it very clear to me that the goals I have for myself, the ways I want to challenge myself are still going to be accomplished and the PFL supports me in that 100%. And they’re not afraid to pay big money to get big-name fighters to try to challenge me.”
Harrison’s re-signing with the PFL had reportedly hit a roadblock in recent weeks, but it appears the league turned things around after the brief ordeal. One of her American Top Team coaches, Mike Brown, has also said that he wants to see Harrison get a step up in competition going forward.
Bellator had allegedly offered Harrison the most lucrative deal before the PFL came forward and matched it, securing her re-signing.
Harrison won the 2021 PFL women’s lightweight championship in dismantling Taylor Guardado in the finals. She’s expected to face fierce competition in 2022, including former Bellator champion Julia Budd and potentially, up-and-coming MMA prospect Claressa Shields.
What is your reaction to Kayla Harrison re-signing with the PFL?
According to Dominance MMA Management CEO Ali Abdelaziz, Kayla Harrison’s new PFL deal has made her the highest-paid female mixed martial artist in history.
“I’m happy the free agency is over and I have a fight on the horizon,” Harrison told The New York Post via text. “I’m excited to continue to grow and challenge myself and be one of the highest-paid athletes in the sport.”
And one of the highest-paid athletes she certainly is, if her manager is to be believed.
Per journalist Aaron Bronsteter, Abdelaziz has said his client has shot to the top of the ladder in women’s MMA when it comes to financial gain following the signing of a new lucrative contract.
I spoke with Harrison's manager @AliAbdelaziz00, who said "the PFL stepped up in a big way and Kayla is now the highest paid women's mixed martial artist ever. I want to thank everyone who was involved in getting the deal done and in particular, Peter Murray and Ray Sefo."
“I spoke with Harrison’s manager @AliAbdelaziz00, who said ‘the PFL stepped up in a big way and Kayla is now the highest paid women’s mixed martial artist ever. I want to thank everyone who was involved in getting the deal done and in particular, Peter Murray and Ray Sefo.’”
Given that she’s only 12 fights and four years deep into her career, if true, Harrison’s status as the highest-paid female MMA fighter ever is certainly an impressive achievement.
Harrison Will Pursue A 3rd PFL Title In 2022
While a return to the PFL seemed likely a number of weeks ago, a late offer from Bellator seemingly threw a spanner in the works. If that came to fruition, a long-awaited clash between Harrison and Cris Cyborg, who have been going back and forth on social media for months, would have been a possibility.
With her future finally laid out following five months of discussion and a tied-down place on the sport’s rumor mill, Harrison will now turn her attention to what she seemingly does best—destroying her competition inside the PFL cage and capturing gold.
Having previously secured $1 million checks and championship glory in both 2019 and 2021, the Ohio native will be looking for a third successive dose of PFL glory when she returns for the 2022 season.
With the addition of former Bellator featherweight champion Julia Budd to the equation, this year promises to provide the former Judoka with her stiffest tests to date.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVkrTb8g47i/
Do you think re-signing with PFL was the correct move for Kayla Harrison?
However, Bellator had been interested in signing Harrison as well. When the prospect of Bellator as a landing spot arose, Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg began to perk up.
Cyborg and Harrison have had many Twitter exchanges in recent months, with Harrison even inviting Cyborg to her gym to have a training/sparring session with her recently. That was not an overly friendly invitation, however, more like a “say this to my face” sort of thing.
Now that Harrison has re-upped with PFL, it seems that Cyborg is done with the talk and blocked her on Twitter.
Cyborg wrote a now-deleted tweet saying, “Tell me you only got 50K followers without telling me you only have 50K…engagement farming is so basic,” and then blocked her. Harrison reacted to this news by again welcoming a fight against the Bellator champion.
Dang it. I went too far. Cris please fight me! I won’t use judo just wrestling. pic.twitter.com/1STSXA9ODb
“Nah. I blocked her cause she could have signed with @BellatorMMA and made the fight but didn’t,” Cyborg wrote.
The details of Harrison’s PFL contract are not completely announced, but it is a multi-year contract. With her tied to PFL for the next few seasons, the likelihood that she will ever meet Cyborg in the cage is looking slim. Cyborg is 36 years old and could be nearing the end of a long career that began in 2005.
What are your thoughts on Cris Cyborg blocking Kayla Harrison on Twitter?
The Kayla Harrison sweepstakes are over as the two-time Olympic gold medalist has re-signed with PFL.
After Harrison won the 2021 PFL lightweight season, she was a free agent. And for the past couple of months, she has been talking with other promotions. Many were curious to see if she would leave PFL or sign somewhere else.
On Tuesday, it was revealed she re-signed with PFL on a multi-year deal after the promotion matched the offer Bellator gave her.
“I’m happy the free agency is over and I have a fight on the horizon,” Harrison told The New York Post via text. “I’m excited to continue to grow and challenge myself and be one of the highest-paid athletes in the sport.”
Harrison is 12-0 as a pro and 11 of her 12 pro fights have been in PFL with one fighting being Invicta in 2020 when PFL didn’t have a season. She is the two-time champ and is now looking to remain the only PFL lightweight champion.
Kayla Harrison
“I am also excited PFL is on board with helping me reach my goals of becoming the best and trying to acquire some of the biggest competition in the game to come and challenge me,” Harrison said. “I look forward to us making those fights happen and until then I have another belt to win.”
In the 2022 season, Harrison could very well have the toughest test of her career as former Bellator featherweight champ, Julia Budd has joined the promotion.
When and who Harrison will fight in the season opener is uncertain at this time. However, along with the season, PFL announced in a statement they are launching a new pay-per-view super-fight division.
“I am also excited to announce the PFL is launching a new Pay-Per-View Super Fight Division where star MMA fighters will compete on a global stage against the best fighters in the sport,” PFL CEO Peter Murray said in a statement. “Two-time PFL Champion, Kayla Harrison, will be fighting in the PFL’s 2022 Season starting this April on ESPN networks and will also continue to build her legacy as a main event in the PFL’s PPV Super Fight Division.”
Are you surprised Kayla Harrison re-signed with PFL?
Kayla Harrison is getting tired of Cris Cyborg’s tweets about her.
On Tuesday evening, it was revealed the PFL has matched Bellator‘s offer and it’s likely Harrison will sign back with PFL. After the news came out by MMA reporter Ariel Helwani, Cyborg chimed in with a response.
“Hey @criscyborg @ me if you have something to say,” Harrison quote tweeted. “I’m so sick of this shit. @AmericanTopTeam’s addy is 5750 sr 7 coconut creek fl. I’m there 6 days a week.”
Of course, had Harrison signed with Bellator, she would’ve fought at featherweight and would have been an immediate title challenger for Cyborg. It would be a massive fight, as Cyborg is considered one of the best featherweights of all time while Harrison is undefeated but hasn’t been tested enough, so the bout makes sense. However, it appears the two-time Olympic gold medalist is set to re-sign with PFL.
Kayla Harrison (12-0) won the 2021 PFL women’s lightweight tournament as she defeated Taylor Guardado by submission. In the 2021 season, she also defeated Genah Fabian by TKO, Cindy Dandois by submission, and Mariana Morais by TKO.
Harrison has competed at featherweight before as in 2020 with PFL not having a season, she fought Courtney King in Invicta. There, she scored a TKO win, but that is the only time she cut down to 145lbs.
With Harrison re-signing with PFL, she will look to become a three-time champion. However, she will likely have her biggest test to date as PFL did ink former Bellator champion Julia Budd to compete this season.
Are you surprised Kayla Harrison re-signed with PFL? And what do you make of her interaction with Cris Cyborg?
American Top Team coach Mike Brown wants Kayla Harrison to take the next steps in her professional MMA career.
Harrison is still contemplating her next career move in her first experience in MMA free agency. She is coming off of back-to-back lightweight title-winning seasons in the PFL and has hinted at moving up to promotions such as Bellator and the UFC.
Harrison has attended Bellator and UFC events over the past few months as she decides on her next move in MMA. She won the 2021 PFL lightweight title over Taylor Guardado after a dominant regular season.
“I think it’s time,” Brown said. “I mean, I’m happy wherever she goes. I think they’ll bring talent to her in the PFL…I know she wants big challenges. She wants big fights, she’s ready to challenge herself, she really wants that. I thought we’ve been in a great spot. She was learning MMA in a major promotion, having zero fights and you’re already fighting in a major promotion like PFL. It’s good money, you’re getting decent competition.
Brown went on to point out that Harrison’s journey to MMA stardom has been faster and more unique than most professional athletes.
“It’s not always the norm for most pro fighters. Maybe they fight some amateur fights, then go on to a little bit tougher competition. From her first fight that she’s ever had, she’s in the PFL. Obviously, she’s a special athlete, but it’s not easy to do. She’s been learning, developing, and honing her skills and trying new skills, experimenting and seeing what works and doesn’t work in combat.
Photo by Dave Mandel/Invicta FC
“Now she’s over 10 fights experience and three or four years in, and I think she’s ready to make big challenges now. She wants to fight everybody and honestly, we’ve been holding her back. She’s been saying for about a year and a half or so, ‘ I want ’em all, I want to fight the best. I don’t want to do this, I want to show that I’m the best.’ We’ve told her to take her time, but it’s not what she necessarily wants. I think we’re coming to that point now that it’s going to happen.”
Harrison was in attendance to watch Bellator featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino earn a first-round knockout in her latest defense at Bellator 271. Harrison was also linked to a matchup with Amanda Nunes before Nunes lost to Julianna Peña at UFC 269.
Harrison’s free agency could be coming to a close as soon as this week, much to her preference. She’ll remain one of the biggest names in women’s MMA in 2022 regardless of what she chooses to do.
Where do you think Kayla Harrison will sign in free agency?
Joanna Jędrzejczyk is one of the biggest names in WMAA, but she believes there is one woman who will eclipse her and everyone else in terms of star power.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk is the former strawweight queen, with five successful title defenses on her résumé. Along the way and beyond, she has amassed over two million social media followers and has become one of the most recognized faces in all of WMMA.
Even still, Jędrzejczyk is giving credit to another woman as the biggest future name of WMMA. Often considered to have one of the healthiest egos in the sport, Jędrzejczyk humbly expressed that not only will there be another female fighter with a bigger name than herself, but that she won’t even be the biggest female star out of her own gym of American top Team.
That’s because of the bright future she sees ahead for ATT teammate and current free agent Kayla Harrison.
Marvin Vettori, Kayla Harrison, Michael Bisping (Image Credit: @judokayla on Instagram)
“I don’t know what’s good for her. I know she’s smart. She’s super-big inspiration to all of us,” Jędrzejczyk told Helen Yee Sports when discussing Harrison’s free agency. “This is what I love—when someone is focused on the prize. And she’s definitely one of the hardest-working athletes in the gym in general.
“She’s (a two-time) Olympian. And she’s special, and it’s good to have her here. She’s tough physically, mentally, she doesn’t give up, and she deserve to get paid. She’s already, but soon, she’s going to be the name Of women’s MMA.”
Kayla Harrison remains a free agent, and Jędrzejczyk is as much in the dark as the rest of the general public as to what Harrison’s next move will be. It had seemed as though a fourth year in the PFL was a lock for Harrison, but those talks recently hit a snag. Thus, all major promotions are on the table for the Olympian judoka, including Jędrzejczyk’s home of the UFC.
“I would love to see her in the UFC, but like I said, she has to get paid,” Jędrzejczyk continued. “She won PFL two times. She won a million bucks a few times, you know? She doesnt’ have to fight for small money. She always brings the extra attention. She always perform very well. So she needs to get paid, and I feel the UFC should consider having Kayla Harrison.”
Kayla Harrison is currently 12-0 in her MMA career, with every fight taking place in the Professional Fighters League. Both Bellator and the UFC have expressed interest in signing Harrison, and Harrison herself has stated that she is tired of the free-agency process. Therefore, it could be any day now when we find out where Harrison will take her services and star power as she helps lead WMMA into the future.
Joining a shocked sold-out crowd and fighters’ area inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, as well as millions watching at home, in disbelief was Harrison.
WATCH: Kayla Harrison repeatedly yelling "F**K" at the top of her lungs after Pena upsets Nunes. You have to think that big money fight was coming next #UFC269pic.twitter.com/YLwHe0N3H8
While the likes of Michael Chiesa and Miesha Tate celebrated, Harrison was left with one word on her lips: “F*ck.”
In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Harrison discussed the feelings she went through after watching her teammate, who she’d helped prepare for the title defense, emphatically submitted in the UFC 269 co-main event.
“I was shocked. Everyone was making assumptions about it, but to be honest with you, Amanda was a teammate of mine, she was someone that I helped train for this fight,” said Harrison. “When I said I bleed ATT, I meant it. I wanted her to win. I was shocked. I was as shocked as the rest of the world. I was heartbroken for her.”
The two-time Olympic gold medalist and unbeaten MMA lightweight continues to bleed ATT and assured Nunes after the shock result that they’d go back to work in the gym and make things right.
But with the Brazilian seeking fresh pastures, Harrison’s time going toe-to-toe with Nunes on the mats is over, something she says “sucks.”
Harrison: I Got A Lot Better Training With Nunes
Further into her interview with Marc Raimondi, Harrison gave her reaction to Nunes’ decision to part ways with ATT, the gym she’d been a part of throughout her development from defeat to Zingano in 2014 to dominant double champion in 2021.
First and foremost, the sport’s most sought-after free agent wished her former teammate well for the future and suggested the Brazilian had to do whatever she felt was best for her and her family.
“At this time, my thoughts (on her departure) are, you’ve gotta do what you think is best for you and your family. I wish her the best of luck. That’s it.”
Despite understanding the reasons behind Nunes’ exit, Harrison admitted she was disappointed to no longer have the chance to develop and sharpen her tools by training alongside a woman most regard as the greatest of all time.
“I mean, it sucks cause like, she’s still one of the best. That one loss doesn’t change that,” Harrison continued. “So to not be able to train with her does suck. I think that every time I went with her, it helped me. I think it helped her as well.
“Whether you wanna admit or not, guys talk about Colby (Covington) and Jorge (Masvidal), the ego, I have it too, so I wanna win those exchanges, I wanna win those rounds, I wanna push her, she wants to push me. I got a lot better in the times that we trained together. So to miss out on that is a bummer, for sure,” concluded Harrison.
While most expected the undefeated star to be a future challenge for Nunes after UFC 269, the Brazilian’s defeat has perhaps delayed any chance of that and slightly hampered its appeal.
Nevertheless, with Nunes still holding 145-pound gold and a move to the UFC seeming inevitable sooner or later for Harrison, perhaps sooner given the apparent breakdown in negotiations with the PFL, it appears likely another clash of former ATT teammates is going to go down in the future.
Would you like to see former teammates Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes share the Octagon down the line?
Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison is ready to be done with the business aspect of fighting and focus solely on competing and training.
It’s reportedly been a wild ride for Harrison during her first experience with free agency on a massive scale. She was originally reported to be close to re-signing with the PFL, but the door has reopened due to a recent alleged roadblock in negotiations.
After also admitting that the UFC’s offer to sign her was a case of bad timing, the biggest platform in MMA doesn’t seem completely out of the running. Harrison has also teased a potential fight against UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Harrison was blunt when asked about the status of her free agency and speculation regarding her next move.
“I’m getting real sick of it at this point,” Harrison said. “I can’t comment on where I’m going or what I’m doing, but I can comment that I’m getting real sick of it. So whoever wants me, I’m ready to fight. I’m ready to sign on the dotted line, get a contract, get a fight booked. I’m tired of talking about it. I’d like to find either a new home or I’d like to talk to PFL and continue to make them my home. But I’d like to get this done sooner rather than later.”
Harrison went on to elaborate on the ups and downs that come with the free agency process and the pressures that come with it.
“I mean, at first, it was kinda fun. You know, you go to the dances, you go get wined and dined…you feel special, everyone’s interested in you, you’re the new kid. But at this point, I know the fans are sick of it, I know the media is sick of it, I’m sick of it,” Harrison admitted. “I know the promotions are all like, ‘Where the hell is she going? Let’s figure this out.’ And I know that patience is a virtue and it’s something that I sorely lack. But at this point, I would really just—I already had to take a year off almost from fighting because of COVID, so I don’t want to waste any time, you know? I’m here for a good time, not a long time. I want to get back in there and keep getting better.”
Harrison capped off another dominant season in the PFL with a win over Taylor Guardado at the 2021 PFL Championships. She also earned first-round finishes over Genah Fabian, Cindy Dandois, and Mariana Morais in the PFL cage.
Harrison has competed at lightweight for virtually her entire MMA career except for a featherweight bout against Courtney King in Invicta FC. While it’s unclear where she’ll compete next in MMA, she appears ready to focus on the fighting part of the fight game.
Who do you want Kayla Harrison to sign with in free agency?
Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has admitted she’s saddened by her broken relationship with former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
After transitioning to MMA following two gold medal triumphs at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, Harrison made a splash in the rising PFL promotion. Now approaching her fourth year in the sport, the 31-year-old sits as the most sought-after free agent in the game after back-to-back championships in 2019 and 2021.
Is Kayla Harrison a better version of Ronda Rousey?
But while Harrison continues to pummel her competition and perhaps gets set for a move to the UFC or Bellator, she’s creating her success in the sport without former friend Rousey by her side.
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Harrison discussed her current relationship with Rousey, whom she was roommates and good friends with when the pair were part of the US judo team together over a decade ago, long before “Rowdy” gained celebrity status.
After admitting that they aren’t friends anymore, Harrison suggested the turn of events is saddening, especially given how Rousey helped her during the Ohio native’s teen years.
“No, I think we kinda are like, I don’t think we’re friends anymore. I don’t know. We’re estranged, that’s the perfect word,” Harrison said. “We were roommates, you know. We traveled the world together at one point. She was buying me groceries cause I was a poor 16-year-old with like, five bucks in my account. So, at one point I really looked up to her and we were close. So, it is sad.”
She made her first WWE appearance early in 2018 before debuting at the company’s showcase event, WrestleMania, later in the year. After winning the Raw Women’s Championship and holding it for 231 days, the 35-year-old’s contract expired.
After taking time away, a period that included the birth of her first child, Rousey returned to the ring last month.
During her interaction with ESPN, Harrison reacted to her former roommate’s return to her “fake thing.” She also shut the door on a potential reunion with “Rowdy” on the pro wrestling circuit.
“I heard she’s back to, ‘Be nice Kayla…’ She’s back to doing her thing, her fake thing [LAUGHS]… Can you imagine if I joined her (in WWE)? … We’d beat the men. Like, legit. It’s never gonna happen,” Harrison stated.
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While Rousey begins another stint with WWE, Harrison will be hoping to confirm her immediate future and next destination soon as she gears up for a targeted spring return to the cage.
Kayla Harrison has clarified recently publicized remarks about her interest in moving down to 135 for a fight against UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña.
As Kayla Harrison’s free agency drags on, there continues to be an abundance of time for imaginations to run rampant about what may be next for the Olympian judoka.
Not long ago, it appeared as though the answer to that question would be a fourth year with the Professional Fighters League and an attempt at winning the women’s lightweight season for the third consecutive time. However, last week it was revealed that those talks hit a snag, and we are right back where we started with nothing but speculation, scuttlebutt, and…sarcasm?
“I mean, you know, Marc [Raimondi] wrote an article that kinda oversold it a little. [LAUGHS] I was kinda talkin’ shit, like, being goofy. But my goal is obviously not to fight 135 pounds,” Harrison said in a recent interview with MMA Junkie. “Man, you can’t say anything without it—I gotta watch what I say from now on.
“Obviously, I wanna fight the best in the world. Julianna is now considered the top dog, but I also heard that she would fight me at 145 for the right amount of money. So I probably won’t have to fight 135. I just wanna challenge myself and continue to get better. Do I want to fight (at) 135? Fuck no. Like, no, of course not. But I was kinda joking around in there. My sarcasm went over his head.”
A Kayla Harrison Bantamweight Fight Still Possible If…
MMA Junkie
Sarcasm aside, there is a scenario where Harrison would be more open to fighting at 135 in the distant future against a hypothetical future beast who calls to be slain. Until then, it would take an obscene amount of money to shift her any lower than 145 lbs.
“Yeah, unless I get offered a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of money,” Harrison said about featherweight being the only option for a fight against Peña. “Or if there’s like some undefeated, young, hungry absolute killer who’s at 135 and she starts talkin’ a little smack, maybe then I’d have to come down. But other than that, no.”
Harrison currently competes at 155 lbs., but she has competed at 145 before. She has never fought at 135, however, and amidst the trash talk between the two champions, Peña doubted that she ever could. But if Harrison were able to prove her wrong and make the weight, “The Venezuelan Vixen” stated she’d be more than happy to welcome her to bantamweight.
As Harrison alluded to, Peña also said she’d fight Harrison or anyone else for that matter at any weight as long as she is paid the right amount of money. So while Harrison may be walking back her sarcastic words from an earlier interview, she seems keen to hold Peña to hers if the two ever turn trash talk into blockbuster action.
Who do you think would win a fight between Kayla Harrison and Julianna Peña?
Kayla Harrison’s immediate future in MMA is uncertain at the moment, including what division she’ll be competing in moving forward.
Kayla Harrison has been a rising star in the world of MMA for the last several years. As an accomplished judo Olympian, Harrison was a top prospect when she decided to make the switch to mixed martial arts. The anticipation was met with success when Harrison joined PFL and began winning. She has now won the PFL lightweight championship two years in a row and is perhaps looking to make a big move.
Rumors have been circling that Harrison, although likely to re-sign with PFL, might be headed elsewhere. She has not been shy about wanting to join the UFC, but the timing has been the issue. Harrison has primarily fought at 155 pounds, with one successful bout at featherweight.
The UFC’s highest weight class for females is 145 pounds, but if she takes a roster spot with the UFC, could a bantamweight title shot be an option? Harrison addressed that in an interview with ESPN.
“I’m considering it,” Harrison said a potential move to bantamweight. “I heard that Julianna said she’d move up to 145 if they paid her enough, so that’s good news. That means I don’t have to chop off an arm. … I want to be the best. Everyone is talking about her. Why not? I have to conquer one mountain at a time, though. Whatever mountain comes next.”
Julianna Pena, Kayla Harrison
The reality of Harrison being able to make the cut to 135 pounds seems unlikely, but it could be a possibility down the road. If she were to join the UFC her home would be at featherweight. A matchup with Amanda Nunes would be one of the most exciting matchups for her at the weight, but Juliana Peña making a move up would most likely interest fans as well.
After a round of trash talk between Harrison and Peña post-UFC 269, Peña expressed a willingness to fight Harrison if Harrison opted to sign with the UFC and can make the drop down to 135 lbs.
Although the option is there, a deal with the UFC has not been announced. As the winner of the PFL season the last two years, Harrison took home $2 million and would stand to win another million with a three-peat, a heapy prize to leave behind should she sign elsewhere.
“Three years ago, I would have said legacy,” Harrison said. “That’s all I give a s— about. My advisers, they care about security. Obviously, I have two kids now, so for me, as hard as it is, security comes first. I have to make sure. There’s no guarantees in this life. There’s no certainties. I could snap my neck tomorrow and never fight again. Security is important. But if I can find a way to have security and continue to build my legacy, I think that’s a winner.”
Do you think Harrison should stay with PFL or pursue an opportunity with the UFC?
Not so fast: Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison may not be shooting for a three-peat as the PFL’s women’s lightweight champion after all.
Last month, MMA journalist Ariel Helwani reported that the PFL is the strong front-runner to re-sign Harrison. In a follow-up tweet to the report, he stated that the deal was as good as done.
“Talks between Kayla Harrison and the PFL have hit a snag at the 11th hour, I’m told. They aren’t dead but road blocks have materialized. She is now assessing her next move and nothing is being ruled out,” Helwani tweeted.
Harrison also sent out the following tweet shortly before Helwani’s report:
Kayla Harrison has been competing in MMA since 2018, with the entirety of her 12 professional fights taking place in the PFL. The Olympian has remained undefeated, with each victory being either a finish or a dominant unanimous decision. Most recently, Harrison won the PFL’s women’s lightweight season for the second time when she defeated Taylor Guardado at PFL 10.
This latest development will no doubt give hope to the many MMA fans who remain eager to see Harrison face a fresh batch of competition. It also will no doubt reinvigorate UFC’s and Bellator’s efforts to land Harrison.
Numerous people within the industry, including WMMA legend Miesha Tate, believe Harrison should join the UFC, with others arguing that she should join any larger promotion with a deeper talent pool.
MMA News will no doubt keep you abreast of all the latest updates on this developing story.
According to Dominance MMA Management CEO Ali Abdelaziz, Kayla Harrison is the pound-for-pound greatest female fighter of all time.
In the space of three-and-a-half years, Harrison has rapidly grown from a newcomer to the sport to the hottest free agent in MMA. In doing so, she’s collected 12 wins, including five by knockout and five by submission, two PFL world championships, and a handsome $2 million in prize money.
Having added those accolades to her already illustrious career in combat sports, which includes back-to-back Olympic gold medals at London 2012 and in Rio de Janeiro four years later, the 31-year-old has quickly entered the female GOAT conversation, at least according to her manager.
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While some believe she first has to prove herself in the UFC before surpassing the likes of former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and former two-division titleholder and reigning featherweight queen Amanda Nunes, Harrison’s manager sees things differently.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura, Abdelaziz, who also manages the likes of Kamaru Usman, Henry Cejudo, Justin Gaethje, and Khabib Nurmagomedov, claimed Harrison has already established herself as the best P4P female fighter we’ve ever seen enter the cage.
“Listen, let’s make this clear today, Kayla Harrison is the pound-for-pound greatest female fighter we’ve ever seen,” said Abdelaziz. “It’s not Ronda, we’ve seen what happened to Amanda, it’s not Julianna Peña, it’s Kayla Harrison. This girl, she was born to collect gold. There’s not a woman on the planet, and some of the men too, born to beat Kayla Harrison.”
PFL Is The “Frontrunner” For Harrison’s Signature
Harrison has been a free agent ever since her dominant victory over Taylor Guardado at the 2021 PFL Finals last October. Having previously suggested the rising promotion would have to offer her a significantly more lucrative deal to retain her services, and after appearing at both Bellator and UFC events, it seemed an arrival on fresh land was likely.
“Right now, PFL is the frontrunner. I’ve seen a report that she’s signed with the PFL, that is not a correct,” asserted Abdelaziz. “She’s still a free agent. But at the end of the day, listen, PFL have been great to her. They’re being great to all of us… A couple things need to happen, and is in the process, and I think, you know, PFL is looking really good right now.”
In another interview from Segura, Harrison herself confirmed the report, which came out a number of weeks ago. Despite revealing that the UFC had made a “good starting offer,” she suggested her immediate future will likely see her target a third PFL title and a third $1 million check.
Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison hasn’t made up her mind on her free agency, but the UFC’s offer may now be off the table.
Harrison earned the 2021 PFL lightweight championship after defeating Taylor Guardado in the finals. She remains undefeated in her professional MMA career after a successful tenure in Olympic Judo.
Many believed that the UFC might’ve been the most likely destination for Harrison. This included a potential matchup with her now-former teammate Amanda Nunes for the UFC featherweight title.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Harrison explained her free agency decision process and what promotions are still under consideration.
“I got the offer from the UFC. I know what it is. I think timing-wise, because of certain things that are gonna happen with Amanda [Nunes] and Julianna [Peña] etc…” Harrison said. “Timing is kind of everything in this sport, so PFL’s definitely the front-runner. Bellator, again, we had spoken to. I don’t know the exact details of what was said between Ali and them, but I know what I had proposed, so, it doesn’t look like that’s gonna—we’ll see.”
Harrison was then asked whether or not Nunes’ shocking loss to Julianna Peña altered any plans she had to sign with the UFC.
“Not really, I was bummed for my teammate that night, there’s a viral video of me screaming something like, ‘Fuck!’ But it was mostly ’cause I was in shock and bummed for her. But what Amanda does with her career has no barring on my career and I respect her, I have a ton of respect for her as a fighter, as a mom, as a human being, but my journey is my journey.”
Recent reports indicate that Harrison is expected to re-sign with the PFL on possibly a one-year contract. This would allow her to reevaluate the landscape next year.
Harrison has emerged as one of the most dominant fighters in MMA today and could fight on the biggest platform in the sport sooner rather than later. But for now, it appears that the UFC may be temporarily out of the Kayla Harrison sweepstakes.
What are your predictions for Kayla Harrison in 2022?
Kayla Harrison had to pay up to UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad after losing her bet that her American Top Team teammate Amanda Nunes would defeat Julianna Peña at UFC 269.
Prior to UFC 269, Kayla Harrison, said that she felt Nunes will be ready to “murder” Peña come fight night. As we now know, that is far from what took place inside the T-Mobile Arena on December 11. Instead, Peña pulled off a monumental upset.
One person who wasn’t happy to see this unfold was Kayla Harrison. After Harrison made her prediction in October, Belal Muhammad responded to her by simply stating, “No, she’s not,” to which Harrison responded by daring Muhammad to make things interesting with a bet.
“Ok when Julianna wins you have to do live Instagram karaoke with a song of my choice,” Muhammad proposed. Harrison soon accepted and told Muhammad what was on the table should she win the bet.”
Ok done. And when @Amanda_Leoa wins you have to wear the outfit of my choice to a fight.
When Kayla Harrison made this wager with Muhammad, little did she know that she would end up in a growing feud with Peña after the fight. The two have exchanged words after Peña dismissed the “B-League” Harrison as a potential opponent. Peña would then double-down on that disrespect earlier this week when she branded Harrison a “Ronda Rousey wannabe.”
On Thursday, there was no trash talk coming back from Harrison this time. No, the only thing belted out from this Olympian’s mouth was the sweet sounds of Celine Dion. Check out Harrison’s karaoke performance and wager pay-up below.
If Kayla Harrison was expecting a retraction from Julianna Peña, she may be miffed when she discovers a harsh double-down of disrespect instead.
After Julianna Peña completed her unexpected transition from underdog to champion, she became the belle of the media ball, taking part in numerous interviews covering a wide range of topics. One of those topics was highly coveted free agent and two-time PFL lightweight season winner Kayla Harrison.
Kayla Harrison (Photo: Instagram @JudoKayla)
Given the fact that Harrison is in the middle of her free agency, that means the possibilities are endless and every high-level female competitor might have to field a question about the Olympian at some point.
When the topic of Harrison arrived at Peña’s mantel, she treated it and Harrison’s achievements like yesterday’s rubbish.
“I think she’s the lesser of the training partners for her and Amanda Nunes,” Peña told MMA Junkie. “If that’s the case and I just took out Amanda, I don’t know what kind of position that would put her in. But she’s been fighting the B-leagues. I’ve been fighting in the UFC, I’ve been fighting at the top of the division. I’m fighting in the biggest league of this sport so I’m not paying too much attention to what she’s doing down there.”
When Harrison became aware of these comments, she issued a warning to Peña, cautioning the new champion to watch her words and to not bite off more than she can chew.
Julianna Peña Responds To Kayla Harrison’s Warning
Julianna Peña
In an interview this week with BBC Sport, Peña was anything but “careful” with her words. By Harrison’s standards, it would be more accurate to say that “The Venezuelan Vixen” was speaking outright recklessly.
“Who is this Ronda Rousey wannabe?” Peña asked, still befuddled at the mere mention of Harrison during her interview.
Peña would then let Harrison know just how unafraid of her warning she was by offering the lightweight a warm invitation to unchartered territory.
“Kayla is not on my radar. I don’t even think she can make 135lbs, but if she wants to make the weight, pack your stuff and come on over here, honey.”
Peña would then reiterate that, in the meantime, her focus is not on Harrison or anyone other than Amanda Nunes, whom Peña is expected to rematch in a bout Dana White believes will be the biggest women’s fight in UFC history.
Do you think Kayla Harrison will attempt to take Julianna Peña up on her invitation?
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