Dana White says UFC is interested in Kayla Harrison

By Adam Martin - June 9, 2020

UFC president Dana White says the world’s top MMA organization is interested in signing PFL women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison.

Kayla Harrison, PFL

The UFC is always looking for new challengers for women’s double champion Amanda Nunes. After she just beat down Felicia Spencer for five rounds in the main event of UFC 250, it’s becoming harder to envision anyone on the UFC roster finding a way to beat her. It’s possible that the person who gives Nunes the best fight is someone who isn’t even in the UFC right now. Cue Harrison.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka, Harrison started fighting professionally in mixed martial arts in 2018 for PFL. So far, she’s a perfect 7-0 in her MMA career and just won $1 million dollars last December when she won the promotion’s lightweight tournament. And the UFC has taken notice of what she’s been doing.

Speaking to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, White said the UFC is very interested in signing Harrison.

“Interesting,” White said when asked about a potential Harrison vs. Nunes fight.

“I don’t know where she thinks she’s at in her career, as far as the level of fighting for the UFC title. But obviously she’s someone we’re interested in and someone we’ve been looking at for a while.”

Harrison is currently locked into a contract with the PFL, but the promotion is currently on hiatus and has no plans on putting on any fights in 2020, though it plans to make a comeback in 2021. Harrison is one of PFL’s biggest stars but the promotion has allowed some of its fighters to leave for the UFC in the past. If White is able to make a deal with PFL, perhaps Harrison could be brought over to the UFC at some point, and naturally, fans would wonder how she would fare against someone like Nunes inside the Octagon.

Do you think Dana White will sign Kayla Harrison to fight in the UFC?