Why Did Kayla Harrison Leave PFL to Join UFC?

UFC 300 is just around the corner, and one of the lures of the event is Kayla Harrison, who is making her debut at the UFC. UFC CEO Dana White roped in her to make the women’s bantamweight division competitive. 33-year-old Harrison will be making her debut against former champion Holly Holm.

Before moving to the UFC, Harrison was a massive star in the PFL. Her move to the UFC raised many questions about her decision. But why did she choose to make a move despite staying at the top? Let us find out.

The reason behind Kayla Harrison switching from PFL to UFC

Before making a move to the UFC, Harrison was PFL’s most well-known fighter- a two-time champion in the PFL, and also a two-time Olympic gold medalist in Judo. The 33-year-old was all set to take on famous PFL fighter and former UFC star Cris Cyborg next in her career. Nevertheless, things took a completely new turn as she decided to make a move to the UFC.

Harrison previously competed at the 155-pound division in her first seven fights of her career. But she always wanted to compete in the 135-pound division to test her skills. The PFL doesn’t have any accolades in the 135-pound division yet, and she decided to move to the UFC, where women’s lightweight and featherweight divisions are practically non-existent.

Harrison’s first opponent in her desired division is a former champion, Holly Holm. Holm currently holds a record of 15-6-0, 1 NC in her career, and is looking to regain her lost title. The 33-year-old will have her work cut out against Holm. While the move has intrigued a lot of UFC fans, Harrison is not quite happy with it.

Depression in Kayla Harrison’s PFL Career?

Kayla Harrison faced the first defeat of her career at the hands of Larissa Pacheco in the 2022 final. This was her first loss in 16 professional MMA fights. In one of her recent interviews former PFL champion cleared that she had just two fights left in her PFL career. Regardless, she was desperate to avenge her first loss and had started her preparations, but the management had other plans.

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In her interview, she said, “It’s hard to watch something you helped build. No matter how awakened and peaceful I am, the world is still moving forward and I’m sitting right here. Sometimes that’s hard. I want to fight, I don’t just want to talk about fighting. I want to fight, so it’s frustrating.” Harrison is now all set to begin her journey in the UFC and will hope to get a win in her fight. However, she has to be at her best against Holly Holm who once shocked everyone by defeating Ronda Rousey.

Who do you think will win the fight at UFC 300? Let us know in the comments below.

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