PFL 3: Kayla Harrison Feels Both PFL and Herself Have Grown Immensely

After a lengthy free agent period, Kayla Harrison is back in the PFL season.

There were flirtations with the UFC, and a near-miss with Bellator that would have resulted in an immediate title fight against Cris Cyborg. But the PFL matched Scott Coker’s offer, intent on securing the services of their biggest star.

Now, Harrison (12-0) kicks off her season at PFL 3 on Friday night in Arlington, Texas, and sees both herself and the promotion as having come a long way.

“I think we’ve come a long way, right?” Harrison asked rhetorically, speaking to media outlets during this week’s PFL 3 media day. “You look at how it began, I think back in the day we were on NBC Sports or something, the production, et cetera, et cetera. They’ve done an amazing job of raising the bar, and I think you can see from my performances that I’ve also done a good job of raising the bar and continuing to get better.”

“So we’ve both grown immensely, and I think this year’s going to be even better.”

The field this year in the women’s lightweight division is better than ever as well. Harrison kicks off her season against Bellator veteran Marina Mokhnatkina, while former Strikeforce and Invicta contender/Bellator featherweight champ Julia Budd has also joined the fold.

“I think PFL’s doing all the right things, from the Challenger Series, bringing in their own fresh talent, looking for young up-and-coming fighters, to bringing in veterans like Julia Budd, signing these free agents, figuring out a way to find a home for them here — I’m excited for it,” Harrison said. “I think there’s a good mix of fighters, and I hope I don’t have to fight anybody again. I want to just keep fighting new people, and keep improving, and challenging myself.”

As for the upcoming season, “I look forward to showing the world my new skills and how much I’ve improved in the off-season, and continuing to be better every single day.”

Kayla Harrison returns at PFL 3 this Friday, May 6, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. Watch the rest of Harrison’s media day appearance above. More coverage can be found below.