After Israel Adesanya’s loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 281, another huge upset rock the MMA world! Perhaps the most dominant MMA fighter, regardless of the promotion, was Kayla Harrison. She is the most decorated judoka in the history of the USA, with two Olympic Gold Medals. Once she transitioned into MMA, fans thought she will remain unbeaten forever. But, that came to an end at PFL 10!
Kayla Harrison came into the fight with an unbeaten record of 15-0. After beating Martina Jindrova via submission in the semi-final of the 2022 PFL women’s lightweight tournament, Kayla took on Larissa Pacheco in the finals. Needless to mention, Harrison was a massive favorite to get the win in the finals.
However, in a massive shock, Larissa beat Kayla via a unanimous decision. With the loss, she also misses the opportunity to earn the $1 million prize money.
How did you have it scored? 🤔 #PFLWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/ftnuWcp4hX
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 26, 2022
Larissa made it incredibly tough for Kayla to do her usual magic. After the initial few minutes, it was evident that Pacheco was not going to surrender easily. By the end of the 4th round, Kayla looked incredibly exhausted. She managed to go the full distance and the judges scored the fight for Pacheco. The scorecards read 47-48, 47-48, and 47-48 for the winner.
Fans react to Kayla Harrison losing for the first time in her MMA career
For the last few years, the hype surrounding Kayla Harrison was enormous. Her magnificent Judo skills and the continuously evolving striking have made her a huge attraction. Before she re-signed with the PFL, Kayla was the hottest free agent in the world of MMA. From UFC to Bellator, every big MMA promotion lined up to secure her services.
Fans especially wanted her to sign for the UFC, as they wanted to see her fight UFC featherweight champ, Amanda Nunes. Nunes left ATT (American Top Team) after Harrison joined the gym. They are two of the most dominant female fighters in the entire sport. Hence a fight between them would have been a massive PPV attraction. But Harrison’s recent loss may have put it in jeopardy.
Kayla previously beat Larissa Pacheco in her 4th ever MMA fight. She was really dominant in the fight and won via a comfortable unanimous decision win. Hence, her loss in the rematch made fans question whether she is “overrated” or not.
Here are some reactions to her loss
This version of Kayla that fought Pacheco in the trilogy absolutely gets sparked out by Nunes and it wouldn’t even be close 🥲
— Billy (@BillyTevin_11) November 26, 2022
Mid got exposed in the C league and she want the A league stars 🤣🤣🫵🫵🫵
— nick (@promixiaa) November 26, 2022
i always knew she was overrated yes she’s good but she wouldn’t last in the ufc
— Paddy (@baddythepaddyy) November 26, 2022
Can’t call yourself the best if your not gonna fight the best in the world and lose to mid tier fighters
— s (@defend2x) November 26, 2022
Former UFC champ and current Bellator champ Cris Cyborg issued a statement in Harrison’s support. Cyborg, who is vastly more experienced than Kayla, revealed the loss will only help the Judoka in her career going forward. She can take lessons from this loss and make improvements in the future.
Tonight will only make Judo Kayla a better fighter. One thing I learned after going 14 years undefeated is that sometimes you need to lose to become your best.
— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) November 26, 2022
Kayla will be back and she will grow from this experience. Congrats @pachecolarissa_ you are a real World Champion ❤️
What are your thoughts on Kayla Harrison losing for the first time in her career? Let us know in the comments down below.
