Can PFL turn Kayla Harrison vs. Cris Cyborg into a reality?
Cyborg is the current reigning Bellator women’s featherweight champion. Her contract ended this summer after she defeated Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 279.. On Wednesday’s episode of The MMA Hour, PFL CEO Peter Murray said the promotion has reached out to Cyborg and still hopes to facilitate a deal that could lead to a matchup between her and PFL star Harrison, regardless of whether it’s under the PFL umbrella or as a co-promotion with Bellator.
“Listen to me, that’s the fight I believe fans want to see,” Murray stated on The MMA Hour . The PFL is interested in that fight. Kayla stated that she would like to see the fight. I think it’s going to come down to Cris Cyborg — does Cris Cyborg want that fight? And whether Cris decides to come over to the PFL to make that fight and perhaps other fights happen, that’s one scenario. And another scenario is a co-promotion. We support both.
“Our understanding is she is a free agent. We’d like to make that fight happen,” Murray continued. “… There’s certainly been outreach. We’re looking forward to getting into it in earnest. … There is no [around it]. dancing. This is not surprising or new. Kayla and PFL want to fight for their rights. And so I think in the coming weeks we’re looking forward to seeing what’s possible.”
Cyborg is currently MMA Fighting’s No. 3 ranked female pound-for-pound fighter in the world. She has been one of MMA’s most dominant forces for the past 17 years, with her loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 232 serving as her lone defeat since her 2005 professional debut. The 32-year-old has captured featherweight titles in the UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce and Invicta FC. She defeated Blencowe to win her fourth Bellator belt defense in April.
Harrison is MMA Fighting’s No. 9 ranked female pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Since her debut in MMA in 2018., she has also been a dominant force. The two-time Olympic champion has won all 14 of her professional bouts and is the favorite to win her third consecutive PFL title in the promotion’s current lightweight tournament.
The two women have circled each other in recent years as the biggest fight available for either in the featherweight division outside of the UFC. Harrison even inked a deal with Bellator as a free agent in 2022, however that contract was ultimately matched by the PFL.
Murray expressed his wish to find a way for Harrison vs. Cyborg to be completed on Wednesday. He added that the PFL expects to be in talks with numerous other free agents as well, saying the promotion is looking forward to the opportunity to speak with Shane Burgos — who recently fought out his UFC deal with a win at UFC Long Island over Charles Jourdain — and hopes to be in the conversation for Nate Diaz as well following the UFC star’s UFC 279 main event on Sept. 10 against Khamzat Chimaev.
“Absolutely,” Murray said when asked if PFL can afford the likely lucrative price tag Diaz will command. “… We have capital, we have the wherewithal, and we’re not a regional player.
“Now we’re a global brand and we’re trusted. It was difficult in the beginning. It’s okay, trust must be built, and you have to show your worth, but you also need to do the work. We have shown that our model works, and that it’s built for long-term success. And it’s now an alternative for, not just fighters who are on the come-up, but established fighters who are ranked in the top 10, the top five, the top three, and No. 1. We’re here for the long-term, so we will continue to be here.
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