Kayla Harrison Returns to Action at PFL 11, Will Face Moriel Charneski

PFL 2 Kayla Harrison vs. Brittney Elkin
Kayla Harrison vs. Brittney Elkin Credit: Mike Straus/Cageside Press

Kayla Harrison will fight for a third time in 2018, facing Moriel Charneski at the final PFL event this season.

Lightweight standout and rising star Kayla Harrison will fight one last time in 2018. On Wednesday, ESPN was first to report that Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in Judo, would take on Moriel Charneski at the PFL 2018 Season Finale, which numerically would be PFL 11. The show takes place New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Harrison (2-0) has fought twice this year, embarking on her MMA career against Brittney Elkin at PFL 2. Securing victory by arm-bar, she immediately turned heads, then garnered even more attention when she finished the tough Jozette Cotton via TKO at PFL 6.

Harrison, who has trained in the past with Ronda Rousey, came into the sport with high expectations. Those will likely continue to grow, as the PFL intends to build a lightweight tournament around her next year.

Moriel Charneski (3-4) turned pro in 2015, and may turn out to be a deceivingly tough test for Harrison. All three of Charneski’s wins have come via a finish, while all her defeats went the distance. She’s shared the cage with Pam Sorenson, who recently fought for the featherweight title in Invicta FC, and Marciea Allen, featured on the current season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF 28).