Kayla Harrison calls out Cris Cyborg after her impressive win at the PFL world championships. Read about the challenge and other highlights from the event.
| Headline | Summary |
|---|---|
| Kayla Harrison’s Impressive Victory | Kayla Harrison returns to the PFL world championships and secures a unanimous points decision win over Aspen Ladd. She calls out Cris Cyborg for a potential match. |
| PFL History | Larissa Pacheco, who defeated Harrison in the 2022 lightweight tournament, becomes the first two-weight champion in PFL history by winning the featherweight title. |
| Other Highlights | Olivier Aubin-Mercier claims back-to-back lightweight championships, Renan Ferreira wins the heavyweight title, Magomed Magomedkerimov secures the welterweight title, Impa Kasanganay becomes the light heavyweight champion, and Jesus Pinedo claims the featherweight title. |
| PFL and Bellator Collaboration | PFL acquires Bellator, and plans for champion versus champion events are announced for 2024. |
Kayla Harrison’s Impressive Victory
Kayla Harrison made a triumphant return to the PFL world championships in Washington, defeating Aspen Ladd and claiming a unanimous points decision. The American fighter, who had been absent from the ring for a year, showcased her skills and dominated the match. This victory has sparked a challenge to Bellator’s featherweight champion, Cris Cyborg.
The Call-Out
Kayla Harrison wasted no time in calling out Cris Cyborg after her win. In a post-match interview, she expressed her desire to face the Bellator champion. Harrison confidently stated, "I heard there’s a girl in Bellator who thinks she’s bad. Well, why don’t we find out?"
Cyborg’s Next Fight
Cris Cyborg, a formidable fighter from Brazil, has been linked to a potential match against Harrison for some time. However, she is currently focused on defending her Bellator title against Leah McCourt in Belfast. While Cyborg has not directly responded to Harrison’s challenge, fans are eagerly awaiting her next move.
PFL History
Larissa Pacheco, who defeated Harrison in the final of the 2022 lightweight tournament, made history at the PFL world championships. She became the promotion’s first two-weight champion by winning the featherweight title. Pacheco’s victory over Harrison in the previous year was a major upset, and she has now solidified her position as a dominant force in the PFL.
Other Highlights
The PFL world championships featured several other thrilling matches. Olivier Aubin-Mercier claimed back-to-back lightweight championships with a victory over Clay Collard. Renan Ferreira emerged as the new heavyweight champion after defeating Denis Goltsov. Magomed Magomedkerimov secured the welterweight title by submitting Sadibou Sy with a guillotine choke. Impa Kasanganay, a former UFC fighter, is now the light heavyweight champion. Jesus Pinedo from Peru claimed the featherweight title as well.
PFL and Bellator Collaboration
PFL recently acquired Bellator in a groundbreaking deal. While Bellator will continue with one-off shows, there are plans for champion versus champion events in 2024. PFL operates on a league-based system with a $1 million prize for the season-ending final. Bellator, on the other hand, follows a traditional fight-by-fight format. Both promotions boast talented champions across various weight classes.
