Josh Thomson and John McCarthy don’t think Kayla Harrison is chasing better competition by going to the UFC.
After six years with PFL, Harrison opted to sign with the UFC. Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) meets former champion Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) in a bantamweight bout April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas.
With PFL acquiring Bellator late last year, a fight between two-time PFL champion Harrison and Bellator champ Cris Cyborg seemed closer than ever to materializing. PFL CEO Peter Murray said Harrison “chose not to” make the fight happen by signing with the UFC, and Thomson thinks it was a wise move.
“The talk that Amanda Nunes may come back, that is the biggest fight they can make in the 135-pound division,” Thomson said on his “Weighing In” podcast. “This picture is her standing next to Dustin Poirier at American Top Team as of yesterday. I think that she already looks like she started her weight cut. I think she had a good idea she was going to be making this weight cut for the last probably two or three months. Smart on her part to go where she wanted to go. I think she went where the easier fights are.”
McCarthy doesn’t fault Harrison for wanting to go to the UFC. He just disagrees with the notion that the move was based on her seeking the tougher fights.
“I don’t blame her for going to the UFC. I don’t blame her for saying how (she wants) to be part of that organization. It’s a phenomenal organization,” McCarthy said. “I understand why she feels like this is a good move for (her). It’s just after all the talk, it’s all about the competition. No, it’s not.”
Harrison will take on Holm looking for her second consecutive victory after she beat Aspen Ladd by unanimous decision in November at the PFL Championships event. That fight came after taking a full year off following her shocking upset loss to Larissa Pacheco in the 2022 women’s lightweight final.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.
