Former PFL champion Kayla Harrison was the face of the promotion for many years. She dominated her division and appeared unbeatable.
Until she wasn't. Harrison lost her first PFL fight to Larissa Pacheco in the 2022 PFL Finals essentially ending Harrison's streak and putting the former Olympian on notice.
Then, after returning and winning again, Harrison announced she'd left the PFL and had signed with the UFC. The timing of the announcement came around the same time that Cris Cyborg became a PFL fighter with the Bellator merger and a superfight between the two women began being discussed. At the time, many fans accused Harrison of running from the Cyborg matchup, but Cyborg doesn't agree.
"In reality, I was kind of surprised, because [the PFL] offered for me to fight Kayla and and then I saw the news she was going to UFC and it was good for her," Cyborg told DAZN News. "I think it's a great plan the team had for her. I was thinking about it ... I don't think she left the PFL because of me. I think she left because of Pacheco."
After Harrison's loss to Pacheco, she told the media she wanted a rematch but the next season there was no lightweight season and Harrison wasn't included in the featherweight division they wound up hosting. In fact, Harrison sat out for most of the year before returning to fight Aspen Ladd at the 2023 Finals.
"I think her last fight, she lost her three rounds to Pacheco, and she's quit in the ring," Cyborg said. "I believe she left because Pacheco was giving her a hard time."
Despite all this, Cyborg hasn't given up hope that she and Harrison could finally fight someday.
"But, we never know what is the future," she said. "I believe we're gonna meet one day. I don't know, my focus now is Pacheco. She's the champion. She's a girl who beat Kayla so I think it means a lot to fight her, to get the victory and get this [win], for my career."
Cyborg will fight Pacheco on Oct. 19, live on DAZN.
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