"She carried them on her back" - When Ariel Helwani slammed PFL founder's take on Kayla Harrison joining the UFC

Ariel Helwani once didn’t hold back in criticizing Donn Davis for his remarks about Kayla Harrison’s move to the UFC. Following a dominant run in the PFL from 2018 to 2023, Harrison made the leap to the UFC in January 2024, submitting former champion Holly Holm in her promotional debut at the landmark UFC 300 event.

While most MMA enthusiasts celebrated the former two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka’s jump to the UFC, eager to watch her compete against elite new competition, Davis wasn’t nearly as thrilled about her departure from the PFL.

During his appearance on the WEIGHING IN podcast in May 2024, the PFL founder admitted he was caught off guard by Harrison’s decision to leave the promotion. He drew a parallel to NBA icons LeBron James and Kevin Durant, suggesting her move was fueled by a desire to validate her legacy by proving herself on a bigger stage.

Helwani came to Harrison’s defense on X, sharply criticizing Davis for his comments. The veteran journalist praised Harrison for her time with the PFL and asserted that her move to the UFC was entirely warranted:

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"Don’t like this at all. Kayla was the face of PFL for years. She carried them on her back. She did it all for them and then some. There was very little left for her to do there. UFC is the pinnacle. It was the last mountain for her to climb. Completely understandable she’d want to end her career there."

He added:

"Prefer the approach we saw from [Scott] Coker when [Michael] Chandler signed with UFC: 'good luck. We'll be cheering you on.' The last person who deserves any criticism whatsoever is Kayla."

Check out Ariel Helwani's post below:

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Did Kayla Harrison ever lose a fight in the PFL?

Kayla Harrison launched her professional MMA career with the PFL in June 2018 and quickly established herself as a dominant force, amassing an impressive 14-fight unbeaten streak within the organization.

However, at the PFL World Championship in November 2022, Harrison suffered the first and only loss of her MMA career, dropping a unanimous decision to longtime rival Larissa Pacheco.

Harrison currently boasts a professional record of 18-1, with seven of her victories coming by submission and six via knockout. Having secured consecutive wins in her first two octagon appearances, she is now set to challenge reigning bantamweight champion Julianna Peña at UFC 316 this Saturday.

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Edited by Pranav Pandey