Tag: Kayla Harrison

Video: Was Kayla Harrison’s UFC signing the right move all things considered?

It’ll be interesting to see how the next chapter of Kayla Harrison’s career plays out as a UFC bantamweight.

In news that came as a surprise, UFC CEO Dana White announced the promotion’s signing of [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] last week and that her debut would come against former champion Holly Holm at UFC 300 – at bantamweight!

Harrison, a two-time PFL champion at lightweight, has never fought at 135 pounds and most certainly leaves a superfight with Bellator featherweight champ Cris Cyborg on the table after leaving for the UFC.

All things considered, was signing with the UFC the right move for Harrison? And how big of a loss is this for the PFL? Our “Spinning Back Clique” of Mike Bohn, Nolan King and Brian “Goze” Garcia answer those questions with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

You can watch their discussion in the video above, and check out this week’s full episode below on YouTube.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC, PFL, Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 22-28)

Check out the UFC, PFL, and Bellator fights that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC, PFL, and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Jan. 22-28.

Holly Holm expects Kayla Harrison to make weight for UFC 300, downplays Ronda Rousey comparisons

Holly Holm thinks Kayla Harrison will follow through in making the contracted weight for their UFC 300 fight.

[autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] admits a matchup with [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] “wasn’t really something on my radar,” but she’s grateful to welcome the two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL $1 million season winner to the UFC.

Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) is tasked with being Harrison’s (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) debut opponent when the pair meet in a women’s bantamweight bout on the historic UFC 300 card April 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).

The former UFC titleholder said some frustration was building while she waited for her next booking and wondered what the promotion had in store as many logical options fell off the board. The matchmakers came with Harrison, and Holm relished the chance to add another marquee name in women’s MMA to her already decorated resume.

“I do take pride in the fact I’ve fought the best, while they were the best – not after the fact,” Holm said during Monday’s episode of “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani. “I want to fight the best when they’re the best because those are the fights to take. Those are most nerve-racking fights. Those are the most intense. You have so much to lose. A lot comes with that.”

There are multiple layers to the matchup. How will Harrison’s skillset hold up against one of the greatest to ever do it? Does Holm still have enough left in her to fend off a hungry, younger contender? But the biggest one of all revolves a massive obstacle that comes before either woman steps into the octagon.

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Harrison has spend her entire career competing in the women’s lightweight division, with the exception of one fight at featherweight and other at a 150-pound catchweight. The drop to 135 pounds is uncharted territory for Harrison, but she has committed to fighting in that division.

Holm can’t ignore the focus on Harrison’s cut to a new division, and she’s curious how it will impact her opponent, as well. But it’s Holm assumption and expectation that Harrison will step on the scale during UFC 300 weigh-ins at the contracted figure.

“I don’t really know what she walks around at, how much water she drops – I don’t know all those details,” Holm said. “But like for me, if somebody was to tell me I had to go 125, I couldn’t make 125. So you think about that. It is a concern. But I feel like she’s a professional. She’s not just been in MMA, but other professional sports and her judo and everything. I give that confidence in her that she’s going to make weight.

“Somebody can be depleted, but somebody can be faster if they don’t have extra weight, too. We’ll see what happens when we get there and get to the fight. I don’t really know her history. I don’t think she’s ever missed weight. I think she’s going to be a professional about it, but it’s one of those things where it’s not, ‘Oh, I’ll get close enough and hopefully still get the fight,’ and nothing like that. Be professional about it and make weight and we’ll be ready to rock and roll.”

If all goes smoothly prior to the bout, Holm is intrigued by how it will play out when they’re across from each other in the cage. Harrison’s background in judo has lent natural comparisons to Ronda Rousey, who Holm famously knocked out in November 2015 to claim the UFC championship.

Holm said outside of the combat sport which led them to this sport, the common traits between Harrison and Rousey in MMA are minimal, which is why she’s not leaning on past experiences to help her at UFC 300.

“A lot of people are putting those comparisons together, but they’re also different sizes, different styles, different stances,” Holm said. “They don’t even stand in the same stance. Everything is different. Some similarities yes, but for the most part it’s different. Their striking, what they go for is different. It’s nothing where I’m like, ‘I’ve beat a judo champion before, so I’ve got this in the bag.’ I’m not thinking about that at all.”

At 42 and with just one loss in her past five fights, Holm remains a relevant factor in her division. It’s been nearly eight years since she was last in possession of a UFC championship, but the dream to hold the gold still remains the driving force in her career.

“I’ve fought for the belt more than once, so a lot of people think about what the anticipation is. They want to see other people fight for the belt,” Holm said. “But you’ve also got to put people in line who deserve to be there. And there’s a reason why I have been up there – because I’ve stayed ranked in the top five for a really long time. My goal is to always get to the belt. If I’m not fighting for the belt, I don’t want to be fighting at all.

“If I don’t have some kind of path to the belt, I don’t really want to do it. I’m not just fighting for a payday. I’m not just fighting for fun. It’s with a goal in mind.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 235.

Miesha Tate skeptical of Kayla Harrison’s move to 135, thinks weight cut will ‘suck the life out of her’

Miesha Tate thinks the weight cut to 135 pounds will affect Kayla Harrison at UFC 300.

The news of the UFC signing [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] was well received by [autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag], at least for the most part.

Tate, a former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, is excited to see Harrison cross over to her promotion, but she’s skeptical by Harrison’s decision to cut down to 135 pounds.

Harrison has fought most of her MMA career at 155 pounds, and recently dropped to 145. The two-time PFL $1 million season winner never has competed at bantamweight, though UFC CEO Dana White recently said Harrison did a test cut and was successful.

Tate thinks Harrison may be able to get down to the required weight to compete at bantamweight, but doesn’t think she’ll perform at her best.

“When I saw it was at 135, I was shocked, because Kayla Harrison begged for 155-pound division at PFL, and she got it and I think she’s been great there,” Tate said in an interview with SiriusXM. “She’s been tremendous. I know she’s made 145 before. I think it was tough for her. I think 135 is going to really suck the life out of her, and it’s not the best move.

“I guess I’m speaking from personal experience, because when I went down to 125, although I did it and I still had a pretty decent camp, I just didn’t perform at my best, and I think Kayla is just used to being such a big, strong woman, that she won’t have that on her side, and I’m really curious to see how that’s going to benefit her with someone like Holly, who really does move so well. She really has some of the best footwork in the women’s divisions, and I think that’s going to be tough for Kayla.”

Harrison will be debuting at UFC 300 on April 13 in Las Vegas. She will take on former champion Holly Holm. Tate is curious to see how this matchup plays out, but given her skepticism around Harrison’s weight cut, she’s picking Holm to win.

“I’m pumped for Kayla,” Tate said. “I’m excited for her to come over here. I think it’s going to be really good, but if you’re asking me who I think is going to win that fight, looking at it right now, I would say Holly.”

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Megan Anderson wonders if Kayla Harrison’s cut to bantamweight will affect strength vs. ‘specimen’ Holly Holm

If Kayla Harrison is too depleted after cutting down to 136 pounds, Megan Anderson expects her to struggle at UFC 300.

If [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] is too depleted after cutting down to 136 pounds, [autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag] expects her to struggle.

Two-time PFL lightweight champion Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes her octagon debut against former UFC champ [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) in a bantamweight bout at UFC 300 on April 13 in Las Vegas.

Harrison will attempt to reach 136 pounds for the first time in her career. Despite that, the the two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka opened up as a big favorite against Holm. Anderson, who was taken down four times in a unanimous decision loss to Holm in 2018, thinks Harrison could have a hard time against Holm if the weight cut takes a toll on her body.

“With those weight cuts, too, will the strength be there?” Anderson said on her YouTube channel. “She likes to use her strength, she likes to use her physical prowess in her fights, but will that still be there dropping to a weight class that she’s never dropped before?

“If she’s cutting a significant amount of weight, that increases the risk of not being able to rehydrate correctly, which then increases the risk of knockouts, of getting rocked with punches that she wouldn’t have been at a higher weight class. Holly Holm, out of every single opponent in my entire career, is physically the strongest opponent I have ever faced. She’s a f*cking specimen.”

During an Instagram live on Wednesday, UFC CEO Dana White claimed that Harrison has already made 135 pounds a couple of times in test cuts. But Anderson doesn’t only question if Harrison’s weight cut will negatively impact her, but her ability to use her striking to get to Holm.

“She has shown she’s had some issues closing the range,” Anderson said. “It’s not just going to be with the Holly fight. It’s going to be with a lot of these girls. They’ve seen the blueprint on how to beat a judoka that doesn’t know how to close the range in Ronda Rousey. … Holly may not have the power, particularly in her hands to drop somebody, but she’s a master at range. She plays a patient game.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Larissa Pacheco worried Kayla Harrison will ‘lose potency’ with bantamweight drop for UFC 300

Larissa Pacheco is among those who has concerns about Kayla Harrison’s ability to safely cut to bantamweight for UFC 300 vs. Holly Holm.

[autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] is among those who are concerned about [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]’s ability to safely cut to the women’s bantamweight division.

Pacheco (23-4) has fought Harrison three times in her career, going 1-2 in their matchups under the PFL banner. All three of those fights were contested at lightweight, which is 20 pounds heavier than the weight Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will attempt to compete at when she makes her anticipated UFC debut on April 13 vs. Holly Holm at UFC 300.

Harrison has fought as low as women’s featherweight in her career, but 135 pounds will mark new territory. Pacheco has felt Harrison’s size and strength in the cage before during, and she said she was surprised the two-time Olympic gold medalist made this commitment for a new division..

“I think it’s going to be difficult for her,” Pacheco told MMA Junkie through an interpreter. “For example, myself, I don’t even have as much muscle mass as she does, and I know how much I suffered to cut down to 145 (pounds), and she’s going to come out to a lower division. I worry that she’s going to lose performance, she’s going to lose potency. It’s going to be tough for her. It’s going to be difficult.”

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UFC CEO Dana White claims that Harrison has already made multiple test cuts to bantamweight and will have no issues on the scale ahead of UFC 300. MMA journalist Ariel Helwani disputed those comments and reported Harrison has not done any test cuts.

The mystery around this attempt will serve as a compelling storyline throughout UFC 300 fight week, where Harrison will try to make her mark on a new promotion.

If Harrison had stayed with PFL, a fourth matchup with Pacheco would’ve likely been one of her future notable fight options. It won’t happen now, though, and although Pacheco would’ve liked to even the score in head-to-head matchups, she is satisfied knowing she won the most recent fight between them and that she remains the only blemish on Harrison’s resume.

“Whatever happens, that ‘1’ on her record has my name on it,” Pacheco said. “I fought her in 2019, I lost. Then now I beat her in 2022. I’m the only one to ever beat her. But I now have to focus on the opponents in my division. I’m really going to let this go. I’m kind of neutral on it. I’m just going to move forward. But for sure she’s always going to have my name on her record. So it’s fine. All is good.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Josh Thomson, John McCarthy weigh in on Kayla Harrison’s UFC signing: ‘She went where the easier fights are’

Josh Thomson and John McCarthy don’t believe Kayla Harrison is chasing better competition by going to the UFC.

[autotag]Josh Thomson[/autotag] and [autotag]John McCarthy[/autotag] don’t think [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] is chasing better competition by going to the UFC.

After six years with PFL, Harrison opted to sign with the UFC. Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) meets former champion Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) in a bantamweight bout April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas.

With PFL acquiring Bellator late last year, a fight between two-time PFL champion Harrison and Bellator champ Cris Cyborg seemed closer than ever to materializing. PFL CEO Peter Murray said Harrison “chose not to” make the fight happen by signing with the UFC, and Thomson thinks it was a wise move.

“The talk that Amanda Nunes may come back, that is the biggest fight they can make in the 135-pound division,” Thomson said on his “Weighing In” podcast. “This picture is her standing next to Dustin Poirier at American Top Team as of yesterday. I think that she already looks like she started her weight cut. I think she had a good idea she was going to be making this weight cut for the last probably two or three months. Smart on her part to go where she wanted to go. I think she went where the easier fights are.”

McCarthy doesn’t fault Harrison for wanting to go to the UFC. He just disagrees with the notion that the move was based on her seeking the tougher fights.

“I don’t blame her for going to the UFC. I don’t blame her for saying how (she wants) to be part of that organization. It’s a phenomenal organization,” McCarthy said. “I understand why she feels like this is a good move for (her). It’s just after all the talk, it’s all about the competition. No, it’s not.”

Harrison will take on Holm looking for her second consecutive victory after she beat Aspen Ladd by unanimous decision in November at the PFL Championships event. That fight came after taking a full year off following her shocking upset loss to Larissa Pacheco in the 2022 women’s lightweight final.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

PFL CEO says Kayla Harrison ‘chose not to’ make Cris Cyborg fight happen, wishes her well in UFC

Peter Murray is disappointed that Kayla Harrison isn’t fighting Cris Cyborg under the PFL banner, but he holds no ill will.

PFL CEO Peter Murray wishes [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] well in her next endeavor with the UFC.

Widely considered the PFL’s biggest star, Harrison opted to sign with the UFC after six years with the promotion. Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) meets former champion Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) in a bantamweight bout April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas.

Even before PFL acquired Bellator, a superfight between two-time PFL champion Harrison and Bellator champ [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] was brewing, but Harrison’s decision to join the UFC has put a halt to that.

“We’re disappointed that fight between Cyborg and Kayla did not happen,” Murray said in Wednesday’s press conference. “Kayla chose not to make it happen and move on to her next chapter.”

Murray did not clarify what happened with Harrison’s PFL contract, which, according to PFL co-founder Donn Davis, still had one fight remaining. Murray did, however, continue to express his disappointment in losing out on the Harrison vs. Cyborg fight.

“We had the fight that matters – the fight that matters most,” Murray said. “Candidly, the biggest fight in women’s sports, in MMA. Ultimately, Kayla made a decision to move on. We wanted to make that fight, but once again, we’re going to continue to build what we’re building. We have a great PFLW roster, and with respect to contract details, it’s all good. We’re supportive of Kayla.”

Murray insists there’s no bad blood between PFL and Harrison.

“Listen, we wish Kayla well,” Murray said. “She’s a two-time champion with us, women’s 155, and she’s moving on to UFC. She’s going to be on a historic card, which I believe is a testament to the level and quality of talent in the PFL, so we wish her well.”

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Kayla Harrison shares first words about UFC signing: ‘My time is now’

Grateful for the journey to this point, Kayla Harrison is excited to test herself starting with her debut at UFC 300.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] is excited to test herself in the UFC.

In a surprise announcement by Dana White, two-time PFL champion Harrison signed with the UFC and already has her octagon debut set. Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) takes on former UFC champ Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) in a bantamweight bout at UFC 300 on April 13 in Las Vegas.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka took to Instagram to express her excitement and share a teaser video.

“When I started competing, my goal was to be the best…the Olympic champion of #MMA. The @UFC presents me with the opportunity to be just that. It’s been an amazing journey to reach this point, and I’m grateful for every step along the path. The highs and lows have all shaped me and made me an even better version of myself. God’s timing is perfect, and I am sure of one thing: My time is now. Let’s goooooo! 🦄.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2fQjNZACdS/

Harrison opened up as a big favorite against Holm. Having competed at lightweight and featherweight throughout her MMA career, Harrison will attempt to reach 136 pounds for the first time.

Her most recent outing came November at the 2023 PFL World Championship where she defeated Aspen Ladd by unanimous decision. Harrison’s only career loss came in a big upset to Larissa Pacheco in the 2022 PFL Championship final.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Larissa Pacheco expects PFL to make good on Cris Cyborg fight after Kayla Harrison’s UFC signing

Larissa Pacheco was “frustrated” PFL was trying to book Kayla Harrison vs. Cris Cyborg, then Harrison signed with UFC and things changed.

[autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] admits she was “frustrated” that PFL was overlooking her by trying to book [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag], but in the end things played out in her favor.

Pacheco (23-4), who has won consecutive $1 million PFL championships in 2022 and 2023, expected to be at the forefront of the conversation when PFL acquired Bellator and announced a champion-vs-champion event on Feb. 24 in Saudi Arabia. PFL founder Donn Davis originally said Pacheco vs. Bellator champ Cyborg was the fight to make, but the narrative quickly shifted to fight with Harrison, who Pacheco beat to win her first of back-to-back titles.

In fact, Pacheco said she was led to believe she should prepare for the Cyborg fight next month in Riyadh, but it never came to fruition.

“Definitely I’m frustrated,” Pacheco told MMA Junkie through an interpreter on Wednesday. “I lost my holidays. Time is money. I kept on working. I had worked already the whole year to show what I can do, show my work and I obliged and I did everything they asked me for. I don’t think the communication was very good. But, I keep on working. I’m here. I keep focused and we have to move on.”

The situation took a wild twist on Tuesday when UFC CEO Dana White announced he’d signed Harrison to fight Holly Holm at UFC 300 on April 13 in Las Vegas. That now leaves Pacheco vs. Cyborg as the most prominent women’s fight PFL can put together, and Pacheco said that’s how it should’ve been from the start.

“It was supposed to happen anyway,” Pacheco said. “I put the work in here. I won it two times. I am the champion. It’s supposed to be champion-vs-champion. … I think this just establishing the correct way things should be, because I am the champion, and it’s champion-vs-champion.”

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Whatever Pacheco’s next move turns out to be, it’s going to be a change from what she’s experienced thus far in her PFL tenure. The promotion is rapidly evolving in the wake of the Bellator deal, and one of the changes is the dissolution of the women’s featherweight season, which will be replaced by women’s flyweight.

PFL CEO Peter Murray said on Wednesday that Pacheco fights will likely be placed on pay-per-view cards, and a matchup with Cyborg would fit the standard. Pacheco said she is “relieved” she won’t have to go through the grueling schedule of another PFL season, and it will allow her to train more efficiently for each bout.

She will need to be at her best to fight Cyborg, who is the most decorated women’s featherweight in MMA history.

“She’s a great striker,” Pacheco said. “I think I’m a little bit more versatile. I think a fight between us, it’s going to be a war. It could end in the first round, it could be a five-round war. I think our styles are similar. I think that it’s a great matchup. I think that she’s a very good striker. I think I’m a more complete fighter. I think a fight like this, anything can happen.”

Beating Cyborg would be a signature win on Pacheco’s resume. At only 29, she has already been a professional for nearly 12 years. She’s earned 19 of her 23 career victories by stoppage, and is currently riding a 10-fight winning streak.

The Brazilian has all the tools to go down as one of the legendary female MMA figures, and despite all her success to this point, Pacheco said further greatness remains a key driving force.

“Now it’s about my legacy,” Pacheco said. “Now I want to solidify my name up there with Amanda Nunes and with Cris Cyborg. I want to show the world what I can do. I want to do, not only for my name and my career, but also for the sport, I want to retire knowing I did everything possible for my legacy and for the sport. That’s really important for me right now to establish my name among the very best in the world in history.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL vs. Bellator.