SUMMARY
- Kayla Harrison asked Cris Cyborg to not use her name for games and claimed that she wanted to become a UFC champion.
- Harrison also claimed she wanted to fight Cyborg but the Brazilian refused.
Kayla Harrison responded to Cris Cyborg’s snide remarks about the former’s departure from PFL. Recently, UFC CEO Dana White announced the acquisition of Harrison after she became a free agent and did not re-sign with PFL. Harrison and Cyborg were expected to meet in the cage due to the recent acquisition of Bellator by PFL. However, with Harrison now a part of UFC, the fight does not seem possible.
Cyborg threw shade at PFL along with calling out Harrison in a post on X yesterday. She wrote, “Starting to understand why @KaylaH tried to leave the @PFLMMA both times she became a free agent. @DonnDavisPFL @PeteMurrayPFL.”
Surprised to find myself unblocked! 🤗
Remember the first time I was a free agent? I came hunting for you.
Be grateful I’m gone. My goal is to be UFC champ. Don’t use me for your games. https://t.co/1elimYLZWf— Kayla Harrison Official (@KaylaH) January 31, 2024
Harrison’s response came soon after. Firstly, she implied that Cyborg had blocked her. The two-time Olympic gold medallist also claimed that she wanted to fight Cyborg but the Brazilian refused. She wrote, “Surprised to find myself unblocked! Remember the first time I was a free agent? I came hunting for you. Be grateful I’m gone. My goal is to be UFC champ. Don’t use me for your games.”
The former UFC women’s featherweight champion, however, believes Harrison’s decision was influenced by something outside the cage. Cyborg seemingly referred to Harrison’s contract situation with the PFL.
PFL CEO Peter Murray expressed disappointment at the failure of putting up a Cyborg vs Harrison fight
Following the news of Harrison’s forthcoming UFC debut, PFL CEO Peter Murray was asked about the former PFL lightweight champion. He claimed that Harrison chose to not make the Cyborg fight happen.
“We’re disappointed that fight between Cyborg and Kayla did not happen,” Murray said in a press conference, according to MMA Junkie. “Kayla chose not to make it happen and move on to her next chapter.”
It is not known what happened to Harrison’s PFL contract which still had a fight left. Murray did not elaborate on it. He further expressed his disappointment in losing out on the big fight.
PFL CEO Peter Murray faults Kayla Harrison for the failed Cris Cyborg fight. pic.twitter.com/Gtuwtn1mnZ
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) January 26, 2024
“We had the fight that matters – the fight that matters most,” Murray said. “Candidly, the biggest fight in women’s sports, in MMA. Ultimately, Kayla made a decision to move on. We wanted to make that fight, but once again, we’re going to continue to build what we’re building. We have a great PFLW roster, and with respect to contract details, it’s all good. We’re supportive of Kayla.”
In a quest to stay on Harrison’s opposite corner, however, Cyborg tried a different route. She offered a helping hand to her UFC 300 opponent.
Cris Cyborg offered to help Holly Holm in preparations for her fight against Kayla Harrison
Cyborg is one of the most prominent names in women’s MMA. She has held the featherweight title at Invicta, UFC, and Bellator. Apart from her defeat on her pro-MMA debut, she has lost only once more. That defeat came against Amanda Nunes at UFC 232. Nunes retired last July, however, Cyborg was lobbying for a fight against Nunes at UFC 300. She even asked UFC CEO Dana White to get in the works.
Although that is highly unlikely, Cyborg’s helping hand toward Holly Holm could still make more sense. In a pair of posts on X, the 38-year-old fighter accused Harrison of avoiding her. First, she referenced the movie Forrest Gump and wrote, “Kayla Gump.”
Let me know @HollyHolm if you need any training partners for Kayla Gump.
I would love to visit New Mexico and @JacksonWinkMMA
— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) January 24, 2024
Next, she wrote to Holm, “Let me know @HollyHolm if you need any training partners for Kayla Gump I would love to visit New Mexico and @JacksonWinkMMA”
At UFC 300, Harrison will be making her bantamweight debut. There are a lot of murmurs about how the lightweight fighter will adjust to the weight cuts. However, she has just over two months to get in shape. UFC 300 is set to take place on April 13, 2024, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.