Taylor Guardado – Syndication Server

2021 PFL Championship results: Kayla Harrison dominates Taylor Guardado to win second championship

Kayla Harrison wins second championship, submitting Taylor Guardado in the main event of 2021 PFL Championship.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] has done it again.

The two-time Olympic judo gold medalist has won her second PFL title and the $1 million prize that comes with it. Harrison (12-0) won the 2021 season by submitting [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] in the women’s lightweight final in the main event of 2021 PFL Championship.

The 2021 PFL Championship took place on Wednesday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. The main card aired on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+ with the prelims exclusively on ESPN+.

It was an easy night for Harrison.

The American Top Team product controlled Guardado (3-2) for almost the entirety of the fight.

In the first round, Harrison exchanged combinations with Guardado before quickly taking the fight to the ground. Guardado landed a nice right hand, but from there, Harrison went to work. She would land some solid shots and look for submissions, but Guardado did a good job at defending and getting back to her feet. It didn’t take long for the fight to go back down to the canvas, as Harrison hit a judo throw on Guardado.

The second round was much of the same, but this time, the finish would come. Harrison took down Guardado, mounted her, set up the armbar, and then got the tap. The official stoppage came at the 4:00 mark of Round 2.

KAYLA HARRISON GETS THE FINISH!!#PFLChampionship pic.twitter.com/LxQbsHS3ZE

— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 28, 2021

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The win against Guardado marks Harrison’s last fight on her contract with PFL. She plans on testing free agency and has given no inclination whether she plans to re-sign with PFL or go elsewhere.

Harrison made her transition to MMA in the summer of 2018. She’s been undefeated since, winning two PFL seasons and compiling 11 wins with nine finishes. Harrison won gold medals at 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Full results of 2021 PFL Championship include:

Kayla Harrison def. Taylor Guardado via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 4:00 –women’s lightweight final
Ray Cooper III def. Magomed Magomedkerimov via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 3:02 – welterweight final
Abigail Montes def. Claressa Shields via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Bruno Cappelozza def. Ante Delija via unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 48-46) – heavyweight final
Movlid Khaybulaev def. Chris Wade via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) – featherweight final
Antonio Carlos Junior def. Marthin Hamlet via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:49 – light heavyweight final
Raush Manfio def. Loik Radzhabov via unanimous decision (48-46, 48-46, 49-46)– lightweight final
Jordan Young def. Omari Akhmedov via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:32
Julia Budd def. Kaitlin Young via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Don Madge def. Nathan Williams via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:15

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Video: Kayla Harrison vs. Taylor Guardado, more face off at 2021 PFL Championship weigh-ins

Watch the pre-fight staredowns from the 2021 PFL Championship weigh-ins in Hollywood, Fla.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] might’ve done her final PFL staredown.

The two-time Olympic judo gold medalist and 2019 PFL champion squared off for the last time against her opponent [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] following Tuesday’s weigh-ins for 2021 PFL Championship. The two competitor are set to meet in the main event of Wednesday’s 2021 PFL Championship. They fight for the women’s lightweight title along with the $1 million prize.

Harrison (11-0) is set to become a free agent following her fight with Guardado. She has yet to revel wether she’ll re-sign with PFL or go else where.

The main card for PFL Championship airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+ at 8:00 p.m. ET following the prelims on ESPN+ at 4:30 p.m. ET.

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Additionally other 18 fighters faced off including five other title bouts and four non-championship fights.

The staredowns include [autotag]Ray Cooper III[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag] (welterweight final), [autotag]Abigail Montes[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Claressa Shields[/autotag], [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] (heavyweight final), [autotag]Movlid Khaybulaev[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Chris Wade[/autotag] (featherweight final), [autotag]Antonio Carlos Junior[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Marthin Hamlet[/autotag] (light heavyweight final), [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Loik Radzhabov[/autotag] (lightweight final).

Check out the pre-fight faceoffs in the video above.

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2021 PFL Championship ceremonial weigh-ins live video stream (5 p.m. ET)

Check out the fighters stepping on the scale and their faceoffs at the 2021 PFL Championship ceremonial weigh-ins.

The 2021 PFL Championship ceremonial weigh-ins take place Tuesday, and you can watch a live video stream right here on MMA Junkie beginning at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT).

The ceremonial weigh-ins are being held at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. The same venue hosts Wednesday’s event, with a main card that airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+ after prelims on ESPN+.

The 2021 PFL Championship event features 10 fights, including all six divisional finals for a $1 million grand prize. In the main event, undefeated [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] meets [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] for the women’s lightweight title. And in the co-headliner, [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag] and [autotag]Ray Cooper III[/autotag] will rematch for the welterweight title.

You can watch the full ceremonial weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs in the video above.

Below is the full 2021 PFL Championship lineup:

MAIN CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

Kayla Harrison vs. Taylor Guardado – women’s lightweight final
Ray Cooper III vs. Magomed Magomedkerimov – welterweight final
Abigail Montes vs. Claressa Shields
Bruno Cappelozza vs. Ante Delija – heavyweight final
Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Chris Wade – featherweight final

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4:30 p.m. ET)

Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Marthin Hamlet – light heavyweight final
Omari Akhmedov vs. Jordan Young
Raush Manfio vs. Loik Radzhabov –lightweight final
Don Madge vs. Nathan Williams
Julia Budd vs. Kaitlin Young

Taylor Guardado reveals receiving ‘terrible messages’ from fans before PFL final vs. Kayla Harrison

Taylor Guardado opens up about the fan hate she’s received online ahead of her PFL championship fight against Kayla Harrison.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Despite being just four fights into her MMA career, [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] is getting a lot of attention from the MMA world – and it’s not all good.

The PFL women’s lightweight is set to compete in the promotion’s final for 2021 against two-time Olympic judo gold medalist and rising MMA star Kayla Harrison. Guardado and Harrison will meet Oct. 27 in Hollywood, Fla., as part of the headlining act of the 2021 PFL Championship event. A $1 million prize and the women’s lightweight title will be on the line.

It’s a giant fight for Guardado (3-1), who’s been fighting professionally for less than two years. She entered the PFL women’s lightweight season as an alternate and now finds herself in the final.

Guardado is enjoying the spotlight despite it coming so soon in her young career. She likes doing the media and sees it as a reminder of how far she’s come and how much she’s achieved in little time. But there’s an ugly side with all the extra attention that brews on social media.

“Thank you to those who leave terrible messages on my Instagram because those are fun to laugh at,” Guardado told MMA Junkie. “Oh my gosh, there’s some telling me that I’m going to get smashed and I’m going to look like an idiot. I literally just screenshot it and send it to my friends. Everyone is laughing at you.”

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Guardado expects to be an underdog against Harrison, but doesn’t necessarily understand why that translates into hateful messages from fans.

“I think it’s because they know that they can never do this,” Guardado explained. “They know they can’t step up and have the drive and the work ethic to do something like this. They’re jealous, and they’re embarrassed of their own lives, but I’m not entirely sure. I’ve never been in that position, so I can’t really say. But it’s a dumb look. Don’t do it.”

The 30-year-old doesn’t mind the underdog role she’ll have to play against Harrison. In fact, she enjoys entering fights regardless of who she’s facing with an underdog mentality.

“I know that I’m a huge underdog for this one and that’s fine, that’s not a big deal,” Guardado said. “I’ve actually gone into every fight thinking I’m the underdog and then usually my coach tells me, ‘Hey, actually you weren’t the underdog in this one,’ and that’s pretty cool. But I think having the underdog mentality makes you a little more gritty, a little more ready to go.”

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Video: Watch the faceoffs from the 2021 PFL Championship press conference

Check out the faceoffs from the 2021 PFL Championship press conference on Wednesday.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – The finalists for the 2021 PFL season got a good look at each other on Wednesday afternoon.

Ten of the 12 finalists faced off at the pre-fight press conference ahead of their respective title bouts at the 2021 PFL Championship on Oct. 27 in Hollywood, Fla.

Ray Cooper III was unable to attend the press conference in person due to travel issues, thus why there was no staredown with Magomed Magomedkerimov.

The following matchups had staredowns on Wednesday: [autotag]Claressa Shields[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Abigail Montes[/autotag], [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag], [autotag]Movlid Khaybulaev[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Chris Wade[/autotag], [autotag]Marthin Hamlet[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Antonio Carlos Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag], [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Loik Radzhabov[/autotag].

You can watch the full staredowns in the video above.

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Video: Watch 2021 PFL Championship press conference at 5 p.m. ET

Hear from all the 2021 PFL Championship finalists at the pre-fight press conference.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – The PFL’s 2021 season is almost over as its championship finale is set to go down next month.

The event takes place on Oct. 27 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. It features six championship fights, plus three non-title bouts.

You can watch the pre-event news conference for the 2021 PFL Championship on MMA Junkie today at 5 p.m. ET.

Expected to take part are PFL president Ray Sefo, as well as [autotag]Claressa Shields[/autotag], [autotag]Abigail Montes[/autotag], [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag], [autotag]Ray Cooper III[/autotag], [autotag]Magomed Magomedkerimov[/autotag], [autotag]Movlid Khaybulaev[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Wade[/autotag], [autotag]Marthin Hamlet[/autotag], [autotag]Antonio Carlos Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag], [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag], [autotag]Raush Manfio[/autotag], and [autotag]Loik Radzhabov[/autotag].

Watch the pre-fight press conference live stream in the video above.

Kayla Harrison headlines 2021 PFL Championship; Claressa Shields returns on main card

The details around the finale of the 2021 PFL season are official as the promotion is set to crown another six $1 million champions.

The 2021 PFL Championship event will take place Oct. 27 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The main card airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+

Although divisional titleholder will be decided at heavyweight, light heavyweight, welterweight, lightweight and featherweight, much of the attention will be paid to the women’s lightweight final in the main event, where [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (11-0) looks for her second PFL championship against sizable underdog [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] (3-1).

The other big attraction on the card has no championship stakes attached to it. Boxing world champion [autotag]Claressa Shields[/autotag] (1-0) will compete in her second MMA bout when she takes on [autotag]Abigail Montes[/autotag] (2-0).

Check out the complete 2021 PFL Championship lineup below, according to a press release the organization sent out on Monday:

MAIN CARD (ESPN2, ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

Taylor Guardado vs. Kayla Harrison – women’s lightweight final
Ray Cooper III vs. Magomed Magomedkerimov – welterweight final
Abigail Montes vs. Claressa Shields
Bruno Cappelozza vs. Ante Delija – heavyweight final
Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Chris Wade – featherweight final

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4:30 p.m. ET)

Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Marthin Hamlet – light heavyweight final
Omari Akhmedov vs. Jordan Young
Raush Manfio vs. Loik Radzhabov – lightweight final
Don Madge vs. Nathan Williams

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2021 PFL Playoffs 2 video highlights: Kayla Harrison harsh on the mat – and mic

The PFL set its 2021 playoff finals in two more divisions Thursday, and a reigning champ will be looking for a repeat.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (11-0), the 2019 women’s lightweight season winner, kept her perfect record intact in the main event when she pounded out [autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] (4-2) in the first round. She moved into the October $1 million final against [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] (3-1), who outworked [autotag]Mariana Morais[/autotag] (17-12) in the other semifinal.

After her win, Harrison was arguably more vocal than ever before in her post-fight time on the microphone and asserted she’s the best in the world and no one can stop her, particularly once she takes the fight to the canvas.

At heavyweight, the final is set after No. 1 seed [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] (13-5) stopped [autotag]Jamelle Jones[/autotag] (12-7), an alternate who got in the playoffs with just one regular season fight, with a second-round TKO. He’ll take on No. 3 seed [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] (19-4), who got past No. 2 [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] with a unanimous decision.

Check out the highlights from those four playoff fights, as well as bouts from the prelims, in the 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 video above.

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2021 PFL Playoffs 2 live and official results

Follow along with live results from PFL Playoffs 2, which is headlined by Kayla Harrison vs. Genah Fabian in a women’s lightweight semifinal.

2021 PFL Playoffs 2 takes place Thursday, and you can follow along with live results right here on MMA Junkie at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT).

The event, which features heavyweight and women’s lightweight playoffs, takes place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

In the main event, 2019 PFL champion [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] in a women’s lightweight semifinal. The other semifinal pits [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] against [autotag]Mariana Morais[/autotag], who is filling in for top-seeded Larissa Pacheco after she missed weight by two pounds.

The full official 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 results include:

MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)

Kayla Harrison vs. Genah Fabian – women’s lightweight semifinal
Bruno Cappelozza vs. Jamelle Jones – heavyweight semifinal
Taylor Guardado vs. Mariana Morais – women’s lightweight semifinal
Ante Delija vs. Denis Goltsov – heavyweight semifinal

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

Stuart Austin vs. Renan Ferreira
Muhammed DeReese vs. Carl Seumanutafa
Marina Mokhnatkina vs. Claudia Zamora
Miranda Barber vs. Amanda Leve
Jonas Flok vs. Christian Lohsen

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2021 PFL Playoffs 2 predictions: Is Kayla Harrison one of our two unanimous picks?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the 2021 PFL playoff semifinals in the women’s lightweight and heavyweight divisions.

	Harrison vs. Fabian	Cappelozza vs. Jones	Pacheco vs. Guardado	Goltsov vs. Delija
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 124-77	Harrison (78%)	Cappelozza (66%)	Pacheco (84%)	Goltsov (74%)
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 127-74	Harrison	Jones	Pacheco	Goltsov
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 125-76	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 123-78 2018 Champion	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 121-80 2020 Champion	Harrison	Cappelozza	Guardado	Goltsov
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 119-82 2014 Champion	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 118-83	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 118-83	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 117-84	Harrison	Cappelozza	Guardado	Goltsov
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 116-85	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 115-86	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 113-88 2017 Champion	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 112-89	Harrison	Cappelozza	Pacheco	Goltsov
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 2021: 46-39	Harrison	Jones	Pacheco	Goltsov

(Editor’s note: Our picks published prior to the news of Larissa Pacheco being forced out after she weighed in two pounds over the limit.)

The PFL returns this week with the second of three straight weeks of semifinal fights.

2021 PFL Playoffs 2 takes place Thursday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The main card airs on ESPN2 following prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, 2019 women’s lightweight season winner [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (10-0) takes on [autotag]Genah Fabian[/autotag] (4-1) in the 2021 semifinals. Harrison won both her regular season fights by first-round stoppage for the maximum 12 points, but is the No. 2 seed because Larissa Pacheco had a shorter total fight time en route to her 12 points. Harrison is one of two unanimous picks from our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.

In the co-feature, top heavyweight seed [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] (12-5) takes on No. 4 [autotag]Jamelle Jones[/autotag] (12-6). After two first-round knockouts in the regular season, Cappelozza is a heavy 11-2 pick from our staff members.

The top women’s lightweight seed in the other semifinal is [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (15-4), who is coming off two first-round finishes in the regular season. She’s a huge 11-2 pick against No. 4 seed [autotag]Taylor Guardado[/autotag] (2-1).

Our other unanimous pick on the main card is in the second heavyweight semifinal fight between [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] (27-6) and [autotag]Ante Delija[/autotag] (18-4). Goltsov had finishes of Muhammad DeReese and Brandon Sayles in the regular season.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Harrison (78 percent), Cappelozza (66 percent), Pacheco (84 percent) and Goltsov (74 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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