‘Kayla isn’t making 135’: Cris Cyborg, other pros react to Kayla Harrison vs. Holly Holm at UFC 300

Kayla Harrison is the newest marquee name to be added to the UFC roster, but not everyone is thrilled with the move.

First and foremost, Bellator featherweight champion Cris Cyborg — who has long been tied to a potential bout with Harrison — is wondering why Harrison has chosen to jump from the PFL to the UFC instead of signing up to face her. Following UFC CEO Dana White’s announcement that Harrison will fight Holly Holm at UFC 300 on April 13, Cyborg was quick to coin the nickname “Kayla Gump” for Harrison.

The jab is a reference to the popular phrase, “Run Forrest, run,” from the Academy Award-winning 1994 film Forrest Gump.

Cyborg was not the only fighter to make this reference, as Harrison’s longtime PFL rival Larissa Pacheco also suggested that the two-time gold medal-winning judoka was avoiding her top opposition. Pacheco has twice lost to Harrison, but she defeated her by unanimous decision in their most recent duel in November 2022 to hand Harrison her first loss in MMA.

See more reactions from the MMA community below, including several fighters wondering if Harrison can cut down to the bantamweight limit.