LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag] is not surprised that [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] isn’t a part of the 2023 PFL season.
Ladd’s (10-3) name was linked to two-time PFL lightweight champ Harrison when she left the UFC and joined PFL this past year, but it appears she won’t get to fight her this season.
Harrison (15-1) herself was disappointed to miss out on the season, but suspects that the PFL has other plans for her.
“So, the fight with Kayla has come up several times and I love the fight, I’ll take it if they give it to me,” Ladd told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Wednesday’s 2023 PFL 2 media day. “But I was not expecting her to be in the season, and that was something that had been discussed previously just based off on she’s at in her career and what she’s done so far.”
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In her season opener, Ladd meets Olena Kolesnyk (7-5) at 2023 PFL 2 which takes place Friday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN2 following prelims on ESPN+.
“I think she’s a heavy-handed southpaw striker and she’s interesting,” Ladd said on Kolesnyk. “I had this weird inkling it was going to be her honestly because obviously I knew I was fighting at a certain date, at a certain place for quite a long time, but we didn’t know who the particular matchup was going to be.
“There’s just something in the back of my mind, that’s like ‘Eh, I bet it’s her,’ and we got the call and I wasn’t shocked. So we became aware of her tendencies, worked that into what we’re doing training wise, and just got ready.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2023, Week 2.