The saga of Kayla Harrison’s MMA free agent journey has finally come to an end.
After winning a second straight women’s lightweight title at the 2021 PFL Championships in October, the two-time Olympic gold medalist became a free agent and able to take offers from any and all promotions in the world of cage fighting.
As a gifted athlete with her value at an all-time high, Harrison smartly flirted with the top organizations in the sport. Of course, there were Kayla Harrison UFC rumors, and the organization’s president Dana White acknowledged them on several occasions. However, those talks did not go beyond preliminary conversations.
- Kayla Harrison record: 12-0 (5 knockouts, 5 submissions)
In the end, the biggest competition the PFL had in retaining their most marketable talent was Bellator. In November, the 31-year-old was in attendance for Bellator 271 and sat cage-side for the latest title defense of women’s featherweight champion — and MMA legend — Cris “Cyborg” Justino. A sure-fire future foe if she were to sign with Bellator.
Kayla Harrison agrees to new multi-fight deal with PFL MMA
In January, reports pointed to the Ohio native staying put with the PFL — her long-time fighting home. However, a month later, those negotiations stalled and Bellator was back in play. Last week, a new set of industry rumblings claimed the PFL had matched the competition’s offer and Harrison would return for a chance to win a third million-dollar prize in the 2022 edition of league play.
Well, on Tuesday morning the PFL made the news official when they announced on their social media accounts that the league and their star fighter had come to terms on a new multi-fight deal.
Harrison confirmed the news and also explained to the NY Post on Tuesday that she was glad her five-month-long journey to settling on her 2022 fight home was over.
“I’m happy the free agency is over and I have a fight on the horizon,” Harrison said via text. “I’m excited to continue to grow and challenge myself and be one of the highest-paid athletes in the sport.”
Of Harrison’s 12 fights, all but one has taken place in the PFL. She had a one-bout foray as a featherweight for Invicta FC in November 2020 after the PFL canceled their season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.