Kayla Harrison entered the UFC cage for the second time this past Saturday to defeat Ketlen Vieira in Salt Lake City and move one step closer to the bantamweight title, and Larissa Pacheco disapproved the PFL social media game that day.
Harrison started her MMA career under the PFL banner in 2018 and won 15 of her 16 bouts. The lone defeat came against Pacheco, whom she beat twice before, and PFL used Harrison’s big UFC 307 clash to promote Pacheco’s upcoming fight with MMA legend Cris Cyborg on Oct. 19. PFL also posted a clip promoting Harrison later that day.
“I thought that was uncalled for, honestly,” Pacheco said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “I think [PFL] have the champion they deserve, they have a respectful champion, who has defeated Kayla, so why do that? Promote me right. Let’s promote the champion. ‘Oh, but Larissa beat Kayla.’ You don’t need that. I’ve shown [my work] with other results, I’ve proven myself, so you don’t need that.
“But anyway, that’s not on me. I have nothing to do with that. I respect Kayla. Our rivalry is over right now because she’s in another organization. Had she stayed here it would be the two of us and Cris clashing heads here, but there’s no reason to talk [about her now]. I wish her good luck. The more she wins, the bigger my win over her gets, so I’ll always cheer for her.”
UFC CEO Dana White also bashed PFL for the tweet, joking that “when you’re losing as much money as they are, f*cking go for it.”
Dana White responds to PFL mocking Kayla Harrison: ‘When you’re losing as much money as they are, f*cking go for it’ https://t.co/DQmjhg9ide
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) October 6, 2024
Cyborg is a legend of the sport with titles won in the UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce and Invicta FC. Pacheco looks to make history by adding the Brazilian to her list of victims after winning belts in two weight classes in the PFL.
Pacheco is riding a 10-fight winning streak and has only lost to Harrison, Germaine de Randamie and Jessica Andrade in 27 professional fights, but feels “it’s clear to everybody” that PFL has promoted Harrison differently.
“I don’t know if it’s because I’m Brazilian, if it’s because I don’t speak English and don’t sell that much, but I feel the difference,” Pacheco said. “She’s not even here anymore and they still [post] a lot about her, you know? She’s gone, she’s already in another organization. I think they can look at people that are in the organization.”
Pacheco hopes the public perception — and actual PFL marketing machine — changes with a win over Cyborg in Saudi Arabia.
“I think it takes me to another level, makes me one of the greats in women’s MMA,” Pacheco said. “To beat two great athletes — one two-time Olympic champion with all the hype now in the UFC, and a legend [in Cyborg]… What else do I need to say? It will take me to another level and give me the credibility promotions still don’t give me. I miss that, I won’t deny. Even from the PFL, to treat me and give credit as their actual champion.”
“People give too much weight to the fact that I’ve lost to Kayla, but I’ve l lost in 2019, when I was broken, and people don’t take that in consideration. And I won when we were both in our primes, the peak of our performances. I’m not saying one win deserves more credit than two, but there’s a huge difference. And beating Cris now would give me the hype and credibility that I need at this stage of my career.”
