Two-time PFL lightweight champion Kayla Harrison has had bad blood with her rival Larissa Pacheco but feels Pacheco would beat Cris Cyborg.
Harrison is in the middle of her third season in the PFL and will face Martina Jindrová in the semifinals on August 20th. She earned wins over Marina Mokhnatkina and Kaitlin Young during the regular season.
Harrison earned the No. 2 seed in the PFL Playoffs right behind Pacheco, her rival of two fights in 2019. Pacheco has been on a roll this season with back-to-back first-round finishes.
While Harrison feels she can dominate any opponent, including Pacheco for the third time, she’s willing to give credit where credit is due.
Kayla Harrison Praises Larissa Pacheco Ahead Of Potential Rematch
During a recent interview with MMA Underground’s John Morgan, Harrison made an admission about Pacheco’s skillset.
“I think she’s a much bigger girl now than when she was younger,” Harrison said. “I will say, I think that she’s the second 145er and up right now. I think she would beat Cyborg and I think she would give Amanda [Nunes] a hell of a fight.”
Harrison was linked to a fight with Cyborg during her free agency earlier this year. After Bellator made a high offer, PFL matched it and she returned for the 2022 season.
Harrison and Cyborg have gone back-and-forth on social media in recent months, culminating with Harrison taking a jab at Cyborg during a media day session earlier this year. She has hinted that a matchup with the Bellator featherweight champion will take place down the line.
As she gets ready to potentially fight for a third PFL title, Harrison feels that Pacheco would give some of MMA’s top stars plenty of problems, but not herself.
Do you agree with Kayla Harrison?