Tag: Kayla Harrison

PFL champ Kayla Harrison targets Sarah Kaufman fight ahead of 2020 season

PFL women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison can’t wait for the 2020 PFL season, and has her sights set on a fight with Sarah Kaufman.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] might now be a millionaire, but don’t think for a moment it’s changed her approach – or her desire to win – ahead of the next PFL season.

Reigning 2019 women’s lightweight tournament champion Harrison (7-0 MMA, 7-0 PFL) talked to MMA Junkie at this past Saturday’s Dominance MMA media day in Las Vegas and said nothing has changed since her $1 million-winning performance, and explained she’s chomping at the bit to get back into competitive action.

“Nothing has changed – just the amount of zeroes in my bank account. But that’s literally it,” Harrison said. “I had to take a little time off because I hurt my ankle, so I was gunning to get back in the gym. So I’m training two times a day, every day, and just getting better at what I do – honing my craft.”

Harrison was expected to face Sarah Kaufman in the finale this past New Year’s Eve, but after the Canadian lost to Larissa Pacheco in the semifinals, it meant arguably the biggest female matchup in the PFL fell by the wayside. But it remains a matchup the two-time Olympic judo gold medalist would love to take on.

“I said that I would like to fight Sarah first, but I don’t know how that’s going to play out. I’m not entirely sure,” Harrison said. “I don’t know when I’m fighting – I have a rough idea, obviously, because of the season. They haven’t told us specifics.

“So I’m really just going back to training, (and) getting back in shape. I’m not the type of person who does good without a goal. I like having a date, I like having an opponent, I like having a deadline. Right now, I’m training with no purpose, and I hate that. I mean, (I’m) getting better. But hopefully, the PFL gives me an answer soon because I’m getting antsy.”

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The 2020 season is expected to follow a similar format to the 2019 version, which Harrison won with four straight wins – two first-round submissions sandwiched by a pair of decision victories over Pacheco.

If there are any tweaks to the format, Harrison said it won’t affect her approach.

“I just show up and fight, you know?” she said. “The one thing that’s going to be the same is I’m going to remain champion. That’s going to stay the same.”

The only new thing Harrison does expect to see, however, is a new championship belt.

“I better (get a new one),” she said. “They don’t hand you the same Olympic gold medal if you win it again, so they better give me another belt.”

Harrison also joked that her role as team captain of American Top Team is almost as big of a challenge as preparing for fights themselves.

“It is a never-ending battle,” she said. “It is exhausting to be team captain. Not only am I team captain, but I am American Top Team’s fantasy football champion. I’m PFL champion. Honestly, I have a lot on my plate right now with that gym and just trying to make sure that everyone keeps it together.”

But joking aside, Harrison said that for all of the trash talk and drama fans see on social media, the reality of life inside the gym is very different.

“Honestly, everyone’s a professional,” she said. “You see these personalities, and you see a lot of people talking, and you see a lot of drama and stuff like that. But I’ll tell you one thing: It’s not like that inside the gym at all. So what you see is not reality when it comes to the gym.

“Everyone respects American Top Team too much and what we stand for and what we’re trying to accomplish as a team and a gym, and no one would ever cross that line and take it too far.”

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Kayla Harrison talks all things MMA, future plans to MMA Junkie

In town to talk to media at the Dominance MMA media day, Kayla Harrison talks all things MMA to MMA Junkie

In town to talk to media at the Dominance MMA media day, Kayla Harrison talks all things MMA to MMA Junkie

‘Triple C’ vs. Kayla and Khabib: Who won this passionate debate about wrestling and judo?

Henry Cejudo found himself on the wrong end of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kayla Harrison’s scorn in a wrestling vs. judo debate.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] found himself on the wrong end of [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]’s on Saturday at Dominance MMA media day, and somehow I was right in the middle of it.

As I attempted to kick off an interview with Cejudo, the current UFC bantamweight champion, reigning PFL women’s lightweight champ Harrison interjected. Like Cejudo, Harrison won Olympic gold before moving to MMA (and did so twice), but her sport was judo, while Cejudo’s was wrestling.

Harrison argued that judo is the superior sport, and the tone of the conversation turned passionate. Harrison wanted a third opinion, though, and that’s when she brought UFC lightweight champ Nurmagomedov into the mix for a third opinion. Nurmagomedov sided with Harrison, vouching for judo as the higher level sport.

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Cejudo tried to fire back, but Harrison felt she’d already won the debate and accused Cejudo of “shaking in his cringe little boots.”

All in all, it was quite a hilarious moment between three fighters who are the best in the world in their respective weight classes.

Watch the video above and enjoy the exchange, as well as my discussion with Cejudo once the whole scene died down a little. He was in absolute peak form (especially to close things out).

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Henry Cejudo interview with MMA Junkie is interrupted by fellow champs

During an interview with MMA Junkie, Henry Cejudo was interrupted by fellow champ Kayla Harrison ho ran away with the interview. There even was a surprise cameo by UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov.

During an interview with MMA Junkie, Henry Cejudo was interrupted by fellow champ Kayla Harrison ho ran away with the interview. There even was a surprise cameo by UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov.

All six PFL champions to return for 2020 season

Kayla Harrison and five others will look to repeat next season.

All six reigning PFL champions will aim to repeat next season.

The promotion announced this week that [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Lance Palmer[/autotag], [autotag]Natan Schulte[/autotag], [autotag]Ray Cooper III[/autotag], [autotag]Emiliano Sordi[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Isaev[/autotag] will return to be part of the 2020 season as they look to earn another $1 million.

Two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Harrison, who remains undefeated in MMA at 7-0, claimed the PFL lightweight title last season with a unanimous decision win over Larissa Pacheco in the finals. Back-to-back champs, featherweight Palmer (22-3) and lightweight Schulte (20-3-1) are yet to lose in PFL.

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Light heavyweight champ Sordi (22-8) became the first Argentinian fighter to win a championship in MMA, finishing every fight last season. Welterweight champ Cooper (20-7-1) found redemption in 2019 after falling short in the 2018 finals by finishing UFC veteran David Michaud in the finals last December.

Former Olympic freestyle wrestler Isaev (9-0) claimed the heavyweight title with a fourth-round finish over ex-UFC fighter Jared Rosholt. The unbeaten Russian’s run also included a last-second stoppage win over Denis Goltsov.

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Claressa Shields’ manager: She could have first MMA fight this year

Claressa Shields’ manager, Mark Taffet, said the three-division boxing champion could have her first MMA fight before the end of the year.

Claressa Shields’ manager said it’s possible she will have her first cage fight before the end of year.

Mark Taffet told ESPN that he and his client believe the three-division titleholder can continue to box and pursue a second career in Mixed Martial Arts simultaneously.

“There hasn’t been a conversation about moving full time,” Taffet said. “It’s all been a discussion about being the next great two-sport athlete.”

Shields, 24, has trained with MMA stars Cris Cyborg and Kayla Harrison and, according to ESPN, plans to work with UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones next month.

“She got her feet wet athletically, her toe in the water athletically,” Taffet said. “The next step for us would be to look at a few different trainers and coaches and speak to them and then decide who an appropriate coach and trainer would be and then make a plan for her to begin training while she continues to blaze trails in boxing.”

Shields told ESPN last year that she wouldn’t want to enter the octagon unless she trained in MMA for a year.

“Just the stuff that I don’t know, like jiu-jitsu and kicking and all that stuff if I wanted to consider it,” said Shields, who was less serious about the move at the time.

Said Taffet: “Claressa doesn’t put timetables on it because she is carefully and rigorously investigating all aspects of the sport and the organizations. But we would like to do something in the cage at the end of 2020 or surely within 12 months.”

Taffet said he has spoken with all four major promotions – UFC, Bellator, PFL and ONE Championship — about working with Shields but no decisions have been made.

Shields (10-0, 2 KOs) is coming off a one-sided decision victory over Ivana Habazin on Jan. 10. That victory gave her titles in three weight classes in only 10 fights, which is a record regardless of gender.

‘Triple Z’? Henry Cejudo takes a jab at Kayla Harrison’s ‘insomnia curing’ fights

Henry Cejudo takes aim at fellow Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison’s fighting style.

[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] has taken aim at fellow Olympic gold medalist [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]’s fighting style.

When asked by a fan on Twitter if she’s the next “Triple C,” Olympic gold medalist judoka and PFL lightweight champion Harrison, responded by poking fun at UFC bantamweight champ Cejudo’s accolades.

“Yes. Technically I have four titles bc I won worlds in 2010. Did Henry win worlds I can’t remember… @HenryCejudo”

And naturally, Cejudo told the undefeated Harrison to “bend the knee,” in which she proceeded to cleverly fire back at him.

“I’d tell you to bend the knee but you’re already so close to the ground… a polite judo bow will suffice. #QueenK #CeJUDOknows”

But Cejudo got the last laugh, at least for now, telling Harrison, who went five rounds with Larissa Pacheco in the final of the 2019 PFL women’s lightweight season, that her fights are boring.

“First of all one Wrestling Olympic gold medal is like 5 Olympic judo gold medals. One last thing, your fights are good natural remedies to cure insomnia. #bendtheknee”

While he may still have his Olympic gold medal in wrestling, Cejudo recently relinquished his UFC flyweight title, taking away his literal “Triple C.”

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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MMA rankings report: Kayla Harrison makes the pound-for-pound chart

Check out our breakdown of the latest MMA Junkie rankings updates, including a big move for Kayla Harrison.

There wasn’t a lot of opportunity for movement in the rankings to open the next decade.

But nevertheless, we’re starting 2020 with some movement on the women’s pound-for-pound list. And who knows where the new entrant will be on that chart later this decade.

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[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] became the PFL’s first women’s millionaire by winning the 2019 women’s lightweight season on New Year’s Eve with a decision over Larissa Pacheco. And while she hasn’t had as many opportunities for fights against big-name competition as her counterparts in lower weight classes, her unbeaten record still warrants a spot on the pound-for-pound list, even though we don’t currently chart women’s lightweights.

Let MMA Junkie’s own “Gorgeous” George Garcia and John Morgan walk you through that change and more in the video above.

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