Bellator president Scott Coker is questioning Kayla Harrison’s decision to re-sign with the PFL and not sign with either Bellator or the UFC.
Harrison concluded her free agency this week when she opted to re-sign with the PFL on a multi-year deal. She also had conversations with the UFC and Bellator before ultimately deciding to stay loyal to PFL.
Coker and Bellator pitched the top offer to Harrison before the PFL matched shortly afterward.
Some around MMA remain concerned about Harrison’s level of competition in the PFL, despite the league signing former Bellator champion Julia Budd and boxing superstar Claressa Shields. Nevertheless, Harrison remains intent on accomplishing her goals in the PFL and seems confident that the league will bring top talent to face her.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Coker opined that Harrison could have ongoing issues finding elite competition in the PFL.
“With Kayla right now, I don’t know who she’s gonna fight over there,” Coker said of Harrison. “She’s got to fight the girls that are the dominant girls in that weight class, (who) are Cyborg, to me the greatest female fighter of all time, Amanda Nunes, and then Kayla. She’s growing, she’s doing very well, but she’s got to fight somebody to really showcase that she has that ability to fight at that elite level.
“And that’s why we made a run because Cris Cyborg was like, ‘Look, I’ll fight anybody, and let’s get her on.’ And we said, ‘Hey, that would be a fun fight to promote,’ but listen, it didn’t work out. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t, good for them, but we’re gonna move forward with our business with Cris. We’re in the Cris Cyborg business. I just hope they find somebody to fight Kayla at some point.”
Harrison is getting ready to compete in the 2022 PFL season and will look to defend her women’s lightweight title. Harrison defeated Taylor Guardado for the PFL Championship last October.
Harrison had been rumored to be tied to superfights with former UFC champions Amanda Nunes and Cris “Cyborg” Justino. In addition to Harrison’s new deal, the PFL has announced that they will open a “superfight division” to attract top talent to the league.
Do you think Kayla Harrison made the right move to return to PFL?
