Kayla Harrison Talks Overcoming Defeat & Returning To PFL’s SmartCage

Kayla Harrison isn’t accustomed to losing.

The Professional Fighters League was founded in 2017. Harrison made her mixed martial arts debut the following year at the promotion’s second show, PFL 2 in Chicago. While she did have one fight under the Invicta FC banner in 2020, Harrison followed astronomical success as a judoka by winning her first 15 mixed martial arts bouts (12 by stoppage).

The victories coupled with the success in judo led to a meteoric rise with the PFL.

The former Olympic gold medalist is arguably the biggest star in the promotion’s six-year history, and Tapology lists her among the top female fighters, pound-for-pound in the sport.

With so much winning under her belt, the November 2022 loss to Larissa Pacheco, which was the biggest upset of the year in women’s MMA–and arguably the entire sport–landed Harrison in unfamiliar territory.

“I don’t have PTSD or something,” Harrison said to me and a handful of journalist prior to her workout at American Top Team’s facility in Coconut Creek, FL on October 11 when asked about the lingering effects from the loss.

“I been through a lot worse in my life than a loss in the cage. But yeah, I know where I made mistakes and I know where I needed to grow. It’s been a valuable lesson for me and one that I’m looking forward to putting in everyone else’s rearview.”

Here is a look at the entire media session:

After Harrison scored two wins over Pacheco in 2019, the third time proved to be the charm for the hard-hitting Brazilian in 2022 in the Women’s Lightweight Final. Pacheco won a unanimous decision over Harrison, handing her the first loss of her MMA career.

“I can’t look back and blame anyone but myself,” Harrison said. “My team prepared properly. I have the greatest coaches. I have the best teammates. I have a great facility. I properly prepared. I didn’t leave any stone unturned. No. 1, I think it was her night. She [Pacheco] had a stellar night. I think that she wanted it, and she went out and got it.”

After taking nearly a year off, Harrison returns to the PFL SmartCage against grizzled veteran Julia Budd on November 24 in Washington DC. The fight will be a part of the stacked PFL World Championship event.

Harrison has mounds of respect for Budd, but insists her return isn’t about the 40-year-old veteran who has fought in almost every major MMA promotion in the world.

“It’s not really about her. No offense to Julia, but this is for me. I do this sport because I love it. I wake up every day with a passion and a desire in my heart to see how far I can go, to push myself. I’m grateful that she has accepted the fight and that she is going to step in the cage with me. I need women like Julia. I need women like Pacheco. I need women like, she who must not be named to fight against, but it’s about me.”

The last reference is to Cris Cyborg. The Bellator Women’s Featherweight champion and legend of the sport has long been seen as a dream opponent for Harrison. The PFL star’s unsolicited mention of Cyborg seems to indicate a hunger to face the best challenges in her weight region.

Harrison isn’t looking past Budd, but when she was asked about the desire to face Cyborg if she were to sign with PFL, Harrison had an interesting response. “Who else better to welcome her to the PFL,” she asked rhetorically.

Before Harrison can welcome Cyborg to the PFL or potentially get a fourth fight with Pacheco, she must handle business with Budd on Black Friday.

On that night, PFL will crown champions in six weight classes. Each winner will take home a $1 million prize and the title for the 2023 season.

Alongside the championship bouts, fans will also see Harrison’s return against Budd and the promotional debut of Derek Brunson. He will face Ray Cooper III in a fight that could prove to be a slugfest.

Will the evening be a stepping stone for Harrison before she returns to bigger, more high-profile matchups? That’s one of the questions that will be answered.

The 2023 PFL Championships will be broadcast on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+. Be on the lookout for more coverage on the event as we draw closer to Thanksgiving.