This year’s PFL 3 card featured the return of Olympic sensation and 2019 million-dollar winner Kayla Harrison. The undefeated lightweight had missed most of 2020, save for a single, bloody Invicta FC appearance. With the Professional Fighters League once again underway, however, their star judoka was back against Mariana Morais on Thursday night.
Harrison is unquestionably one of the PFL’s biggest stars, and while it seems inevitable that she’ll be UFC (or Bellator, given the UFC abandoning anything higher than 135lbs), for as long as they can hold on to her, the league has something special.
Following a high kick, Harrison got right to the clinch in Thursday’s battle against Morais, just bullying her opponent agaisnt the fence. Kayla landed a number of knees, then grabbed on with a body lock and put Morais on her back. From there, Harrison passed to mount, and began landing bombs. Morais rolled to her belly, rolled back over, but the beatdown never stopped. The ground n’ pound was heavy right up until the ref made the save.
It took all of ninety seconds for Kayla Harrison to earn her ninth pro win. It was brutal, it was dominant, and it was exactly what the PFL needs out of their star. It also gives Harrison six points in this year’s regular season.
Following the fight, Harrison gave a quote of the year candidate, stating “From now on, I’m the baddest woman in this room, and in any room.” With a literal mic drop at the end.
Official Result: Kayla Harrison def. Mariana Morais by TKO, Round 1, 1:23
