![Kayla Harrison is a high-profile mixed martial artist who transitioned from PFL to UFC. [Image courtesy: @kaylaharrisonofficial on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/10/c7743-17281776345081-1920.jpg)
![Kayla Harrison is a high-profile mixed martial artist who transitioned from PFL to UFC. [Image courtesy: @kaylaharrisonofficial on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Fans lambasted MMA promotion Professional Fighters' League (PFL) for seemingly trying to downplay Kayla Harrison's credentials. Harrison rose to prominence in MMA during her time with PFL and transitioned to UFC in early 2024.
She suffered the only loss of her professional MMA career against Larissa Pacheco in the 2022 PFL Women's Lightweight tournament final.
Ahead of Harrison's UFC 307 appearance, PFL announced Pacheco's next fight in a post on X. The video trailer in the post primarily focused on Pacheco's win over Harrison. It appeared to have highlighted Harrison's credentials in MMA and judo to hype Pacheco's victory.
Check out the post below:
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Fans did not appreciate the gesture and questioned the timing of PFL's motivation behind sharing the post hours before Harrison fought at UFC 307.
MMA journalist Luke Thomas also reacted to the post and gave a two-word reaction:
"They hatin’"
Fans took to the comments section of Thomas' post and shared their thoughts.
Harrison is a decorated Judoka who won gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. She also won the 2021 PFL women's lightweight tournament. After losing to Pacheco in 2022, Harrison bounced back with a win over ex-UFC fighter Aspen Ladd.
It appears that PFL did not appreciate Harrison's move to the UFC. During an appearance on the Weighing In podcast, PFL chairman Donn Davis was asked to share his thoughts on Harrison's exit. He responded with an NBA reference:
“Some people at the very, very top of their career are LeBron James, and some at the very, very top of their career are Kevin Durant. And they’re both otherworldly basketball players, but who they are is very different people. One wants to lead and change their sport, and wherever they are is the best in the world. The other is a follower who needs validation. And we couldn’t do anything about that.” [H/T MMAKnockout.com]
Check out Donn Davis' comments below:
In her UFC debut in April, Harrison defeated former champion Holly Holm by a second-round submission at bantamweight. She will fight Ketlen Vieira in a potential title eliminator bout at UFC 307.
