Why Kayla Harrison Left PFL And Joined The UFC
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 24: Kayla Harrison prepares to face Aspen Ladd during the 2023 PFL ... [+] Championships at The Anthem on November 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
UFC CEO Dana White made another splashy UFC 300 announcement on Tuesday night. White added another fight to the upcoming April show and announced the promotion had signed former PFL champion Kayla Harrison.
Harrison will make her UFC debut in an intriguing battle with former 135-pound champion Holly Holm. The fight will also mark Harrison’s debut at bantamweight.
Why did Kayla Harrison leave the PFL?
Harrison was one of the PFL’s most successful and well-known fighters. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo and a two-time champion in PFL in the promotion’s seasons format.
There had been talk of Harrison facing popular Bellator champion Cris Cyborg, with the PFL having purchased the latter in late 2023. However, per a PFL representative I spoke to, Harrison was offered the Cyborg fight, but she turned it down.
Harrison expressed a desire to compete at 135 pounds. The PFL doesn’t currently offer that division; thus, according to the PFL rep, the promotion stepped away to allow Harrison to chase glory in another division with the UFC. Harrison, 33, fought her first seven professional fights at 155 pounds.
Forbes VettedFor You
She made her featherweight debut with Invicta in November 2020. She returned to lightweight for her next seven bouts and had a 150-pound catchweight bout with Aspen Ladd in November 2023.
Because of Harrison’s physical makeup and her lack of experience below her more natural weight class, there are concerns about the former Olympian’s ability to make 135 pounds.
However, Harrison’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told ESPN his fighter has experimented with cutting weight and believes she can successfully make 135 pounds. That will be one of the major storylines leading up to the fight.
With each passing week, the requisite storylines are coming together for a compelling lineup of fights at UFC 300.
