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PFL women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison is undoubtedly a highly-coveted free agent. The two-time Olympic gold medal judo champion is testing free agency after winning another successful year in the PFL. It’s no secret that both the UFC and Bellator are chasing Harrison’s signature as they look to bolster their rosters.
With plenty of interesting bouts in both promotions, there could be a bidding war between the UFC and Bellator. Harrison has been dominant in her PFL and Invicta FC bouts and has only gone the distance twice. She currently has an undefeated 12-0 record, with 5 knockouts, 5 submissions, and two decision wins.
In interviews, Harrison has mentioned that she believes she is capable of becoming a champion in all major promotions. She has proven that so far in the PFL by winning two women's lightweight tournaments.
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Harrison has not shied away from the trash-talking side of the sport either. Her post-fight interviews and press-conferences have been entertaining. This list will look at 5 opponents for Kayla Harrison in the current landscape of women’s MMA.
#5. Harrison vs. Julia Budd (PFL)
Kicking off this list of possible opponents is Julia ‘The Jewel’ Budd. The former Bellator women’s featherweight champion signed with the PFL a few months back. Budd now competes at lightweight, so it could be a great bout for the promotion.
Based on what transpired at UFC 269, Harrison signing a one-fight deal with the PFL shouldn’t necessarily be ruled out. Harrison staying with the PFL for one fight, while Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes compete in a rematch, could make sense. Budd would be Harrison’s toughest challenge to date and would be a good indicator of how great Harrison really is.
Budd was only beaten once during her Bellator tenure and that was against current Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg. Since that loss, Budd has picked up three straight wins, including her PFL debut against Kaitlin Young. It would be interesting to see how Harrison would fare against Budd.
#4. Harrison vs. Cat Zingano (Bellator)
Another interesting bout for Kayla Harrison would be Cat Zingano. If Harrison decides to sign with Bellator MMA, Zingano would be a great opponent at some point. The former UFC title-challenger is currently the No.2-ranked women’s featherweight in Bellator and could receive the next title shot. Zingano receiving the next title shot will depend on which promotion Harrison decides to join.
Zingano has a record of 12-4 and would be another experienced opponent and great test for Harrison. There is also history between the two as Zingano has a win over her American Top Team training partner Amanda Nunes.
Zingano is 2-0 inside the Bellator cage. She defeated Gabby Holloway by unanimous decision in her debut and submitted Olivia Parker in her second Bellator bout. Based on Zingano’s ranking in the division, a bout with Harrison could be inevitable should she join Bellator.
#3. Harrison vs. Julianna Pena (UFC)
Another opponent for Kayla Harrison is current UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Pena. The former TUF winner shocked the MMA world at UFC 269 when she did the unthinkable and submitted Amanda Nunes. Pena stuck to her gameplan even after absorbing powerful hooks and being taken down by Nunes in the first-round.
Pena came out in the second-round and landed significant strikes to Nunes which stunned her before taking 'The Lioness' down. Pena then submitted the two-division UFC champion with a rear-naked choke to win the women's bantamweight championship.
In the days following the bout, Pena and Harrison shared their opinions on one another. Pena referred to Harrison as "B-league," while Harrison fired back by saying a win over Pena wouldn't be difficult. If Pena vs. Harrison were to happen, it would likely be at 145lbs. The thought of Pena potentially defeating Nunes’ teammate in a heavier weightclass is intriguing.
#2. Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes (UFC)
The fight that makes the most sense for Kayla Harrison if she signs with the UFC is Amanda Nunes. It’d be a no-brainer to book Nunes vs. Harrison for the UFC women’s featherweight championship. With the two having trained with one another so extensively, it’d be interesting to see how a fight would unfold.
By training together for so long, they may be able to exploit hidden weaknesses in their respective styles. Harrison would be able to prove that that she is American Top Team’s best female fighter and become a UFC champion. Harrison could also become the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal and a UFC championship.
Since Nunes is coming off a title loss to Pena at UFC 269, she may decide to pursue an immediate rematch. If Nunes chooses to fight Pena again, a Nunes vs. Harrison bout could be put on hold for a while.
#1. Harrison vs. Cris Cyborg (Bellator)
Cris Cyborg, the reigning Bellator women’s featherweight champion, is one of the most dominant fighters in MMA history. After her title defense against Sinead Kavanagh, it seemed like Cyborg vs. Harrison could be next. Harrison was in attendance and was even mentioned during the broadcast.
The two have gone back-and-forth and Bellator President Scott Coker is clearly interested in signing Harrison. With Nunes losing to Pena and likely to rematch, Harrison should sign with Bellator and fight Cyborg in the meantime. Cyborg would have an advantage in striking, but it’d be interesting to see whether the fight gets to the ground.
A win over Cyborg could add more leverage to future contract negotiations with the UFC. If Harrison were to defeat Cyborg, it could even be what finally leads to a co-promotion bout between a Bellator champion and a UFC champion.
