After a year on the sidelines, Kayla Harrison isn’t waiting around for Cris Cyborg, or anybody else for that matter.
Harrison returned to action after a year away following her first MMA loss to Larissa Pacheco and dominated Aspen Ladd in a showcase bout at Friday’s PFL World Championship event. After the win, Harrison eluded to a potential fight with the Bellator featherweight champion, and while speaking with the media backstage, Harrison hopes the fight happens, but if it doesn’t, it certainly won’t be because of her.
“I don’t know, I can’t play these games,” Harrison said in her post-fight scrum. “I’m a mom, I’m tired. I don’t care. I hope she fights me, but if she doesn’t, it’s her loss. It’s the fans’ loss, really, because I think it’s an amazing fight. I respect her, I think that she goes out there and implements her game plan, and she’s tenacious, she’s a killer, she goes after her opponents, and she’s one of the best to ever do it.
“I have nothing but respect for her, but I want to get in the cage and try to beat the s*** out of her. That’s it.”
Following Harrison’s in-cage promo, Cyborg posted a short clip to her social media appearing to completely no sell the idea.
Harrison won her first 15 fights before dropping a split decision in the headliner fight at the 2022 World Championship card. The 33-year-old learned a lot about herself in defeat, but now that she’s back, she wants to stay active. When asked if she’d wait for Cyborg, Harrison was not interested in that at all.
“I’m not going to wait,” Harrison said. “I’m 33, I got into this sport to be the best and to climb as high as I can climb. I feel like I’m hitting my stride now, I’m hitting my peak, I’m in a great place, but I’m not going to do this forever.
“I’ve been doing two-a-days since I was 12 years old, so my body isn’t going to be in great shape at 40. But I do love it, but I’m not going to wait for anybody. I just waited a year and it almost killed me so I’m not waiting for anybody.”