The sixth event of the 2022 PFL season will see defending two-time champion Kayla Harrison take on former longtime Bellator champion Julia Budd on July 1.
The PFL’s biggest star is scheduled to face her toughest assignment to date on July 1. The promotion has announced that defending champion Kayla Harrison will be taking on former longtime Bellator featherweight champion Julia Budd in the headliner of their sixth event of the 2022 season.
OFFICIAL: #2022PFL6 Matchups are SET!
Women's Lightweights and Welterweights wrap up the final event of the 2022 PFL Regular Season!@espnmma | @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/ukwTkxwsSx
— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 1, 2022
After running roughshod over the competition in recent years, two-time Olympic champion Harrison (13-0) has been vocal about seeking more stern competition in order to raise her profile in the greater MMA landscape. She gets her wish in Budd (16-4) who defended the Bellator title three times between 2017 and 2019 and is easily the most decorated opponent Harrison has faced. Upon Budd’s signing last year, a bout between the two became one of the most anticipated fights that the promotion could put on. While many expected the fight to take place in either the playoffs or the finals, the booking comes after Budd dropped her first bout of the season to Genah Fabian in May.
Co-headlining the event will be former Bellator champion and UFC veteran Rory MacDonald who faces Swedish product Sadibou Sy. MacDonald returns following an impressive return to form in his season opener against Brett Cooper last month in which he won by first round submission. Sy enters the bout with MacDonald after recording a first round split-decision against Nikolay Aleksakhin.
Defending champion Ray Cooper III is scheduled to face the aforementioned Brett Cooper on the main card following a disheartening showing in May. One of the PFL’s most exciting and touted fighters, Cooper III missed weight by 5.4 pounds and went on to have an uncharacteristically poor showing against Carlos Leal. Though he has made no official statement, it has been speculated that he entered the bout with an injury that led to both his performance and severe weight miss. Notably, Cooper III posted a photo several days ago with a cast on his right hand as the fight is a month away.
Other notable action on the card includes former champion Magomed Magomedkerimov against Joao Zeferino and former finalist Larissa Pacheco against Genah Fabian.
The event is scheduled to take place at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, Georgia and is the final event before the playoffs begin in August.
