Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Farah Hannoun

Kayla Harrison definitely wants Larissa Pacheco again but understands she doesn’t ‘call the shots anymore’

Kayla Harrison hopes she gets the chance to avenge her loss to Larissa Pacheco.

Pacheco (19-4) earned a stunning upset over Harrison (15-1) at the 2022 PFL Championships, handing the two-time PFL women’s lightweight champion her first-career loss by unanimous decision.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Harrison, who is having a hard time getting over the loss. She already holds two wins over Pacheco in prior seasons but still wants a fourth fight. Pacheco recently told MMA Junkie that she foresees a future fight with Harrison, but Harrison isn’t sure if it’ll happen.

“Yeah absolutely,” Harrison told ESPN on wanting Pacheco again. “It is (on top of my priority list), but I also understand like I don’t call the shots anymore. I f*cked up, I lost, I’m not the champ, so now I’m kind of at the mercy of some other people, and it’s gonna suck. …

“She can say no and if she doesn’t want to, she can just be like, ‘No, forget her.'”

Harrison has two fights left on her PFL contract. The original plan was to have them as superfights. In order to get a fourth fight against Pacheco, Harrison likely would have to enter the 2023 lightweight season, which she’s previously said she wouldn’t.

Another option that was brought up again was a fight against Bellator featherweight champion Cris Cyborg, for which PFL founder Donn Davis publicly has presented a lucrative offer.

“I would definitely love to fight Cyborg,” Harrison said. “She knows I would love to fight her. Rolls-Royce or no Rolls-Royce, I don’t do this for the money, I don’t do it for fancy cars. I actually do really love what I do.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.