Kayla Harrison believes she will go down as the greatest female fighter of all time.
After blasting through the competition under the PFL banner for years, Harrison made her UFC debut at the promotion’s landmark event in April, scoring a second-round submission victory over former bantamweight titleholder Holly Holm. The victory immediately thrust the two-time Olympic gold medalist into the division’s top 10, occupying the No. 6 slot and putting her in position to challenge for the 135-pound crown.
Thus far, no announcements have been made regarding Harrison’s sophomore appearance inside the Octagon, but if she gets her wish, it’ll be for a shiny new UFC belt. However, that’s only part one of Harrison’s two-part plan to become the GOAT of women’s MMA.
“I’m gonna go win the UFC title, lure Amanda [Nunes] back, beat the sh*t out of Amanda, and then I’m going to be the greatest of all time,” Harrison said on The Ariel Helwani Show.
With wins over some of MMA’s biggest stars, including Valentina Shevchenko, Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Julianna Pena, and current bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington, it’s hard to argue against Nunes being the best fighter the sport has ever seen on the women’s side of things.
After claiming and defending both the bantamweight and featherweight belts, ‘The Lioness’ laid down her gold and her gloves following a dominant defense against Irene Aldana in 2023, bringing an end to her 15-year-long career. However, Nunes has left the door open for a potential return.
Could Kayla Harrison be the perfect bait to bring in her back into the fold at 135?
Kayla Harrison snaps back at PFL founder Donn Davis
Last month, PFL found Donn Davis threw some shade at his former star, calling Kayla Harrison a “follower who needs validation” via a basketball analogy using NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Responding to Davis’ comments, Harrison understandably snapped back, making it clear that while she takes pride in what she accomplished in the PFL, her goal from day one was to become a UFC champion.
“Honestly, I’m living my best life,” Harrison said. “I take great pride in what I built at the PFL. I carried that company on my back for quite a while, and I’ve got big shoulders, so I can handle it. I just don’t have time for that bullsh*t. Every day, I wake up, I get to go to the gym, I get to train with the people that I respect, admire, and look up to. I’m chasing a dream.
“When I started MMA, the goal wasn’t to make a sh*t ton of money. The goal wasn’t to be rich and famous, the goal was to be UFC champion. That’s why I’m here and that’s what I want to do. If anyone has a problem with it, they can go f*ck themselves” (h/t MMA Mania).
