Kayla Harrison’s return to action set (2 of 8)
by Dane McGuire
Kayla Harrison will soon be returning to the cage for the Professional Fighters League later this summer. Harrison, one of the main faces of the promotion and women’s lightweight great, faces women’s MMA pioneer Julia Budd on July 6.
Harrison defeated Marina Mokhnatkina by unanimous decision earlier this year in her first bout under a new contract following a much-discussed free agency period.
Budd is 1-1 in the PFL, having joined the organization upon the end of her Bellator deal.The bout serves as part of the PFL’s 2022 regular season.
Harrison fought out her contract with the PFL in 2021, defeating Taylor Guardado by second
round armbar October 27 to win the 2021 women’s lightweight tournament. Harrison won the
2019 tournament prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Harrison has been with the PFL since her decision to pursue MMA after becoming a
multi-Olympic gold medalist in judo.
Main card (ESPN at 8 p.m. ET)
Kayla Harrison vs. Julia Budd
Rory MacDonald vs. Sadibou Sy
Ray Cooper III vs. Brett Cooper
Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Joao Zeferino
PRELIMS (ESPN+ at 5 p.m. ET)
Jarrah Al Silawi vs. Magomed Umalatov
Larissa Pacheco vs. Genah Fabian
Nikolai Aleksakhin vs. Gleison Tibau
Marina Mokhnatkina vs. Abigail Montes
Martina Jindrova vs. Zamzagul Fayzallanova
Olena Kolesnyk vs. Vanessa Melo