Former Invicta FC champion and UFC featherweight title contender Megan Anderson doubts Kayla Harrison will achieve a dominant reign similar to Amanda Nunes' in the UFC, particularly at bantamweight.
With the promotion's 145-pound division defunct after Nunes' retirement, Harrison, a two-time PFL lightweight champion, has joined the promotion to compete at 135 pounds.
While Harrison secured victories over Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira to likely secure a title shot against Julianna Peña, Anderson questioned Harrison's long-term ability to consistently make the bantamweight limit.
The caveat for me with Kayla is — and I said this when it was announced that she was going to drop to 135 — just because you can make the weight, doesn’t always mean you should,” Anderson told MMA Fighting. “For women, these big weight cuts, hormonally, it’s not good. So even if she does go out there, she dominates Julianna, or it’s a back-and-forth battle and she ends up becoming the champion, I don’t see her fighting for too much longer. It’s the toll on the body, it’s the quality of life, you know?
Ali Abdelaziz, the manager of Harrison, weighed in on the hot take by Anderson on X.
“I see many fighters and media member rooting against the guys from Dagstan because they are so dominant @KaylaH get in the same treatment don’t hate congratulate.”
While the UFC hasn't officially announced Kayla Harrison as Julianna Peña's next opponent or set a date for the fight, Anderson stated that she it's a favorable stylistic matchup.