Former two-time PFL lightweight champion Kayla Harrison (15-1) is set for her return. After not competing in the season format this year, the former lightweight champion is fighting for the first time in 2023 as she takes on former Bellator champion Julia Budd (17-6).
The matchup will take place at 145 pounds. This year, the PFL didn’t have a lightweight season for the women. They moved most of their women down to 145 pounds which for most is their natural weight class. One of those fighters being former Bellator featherweight champion Julia Budd.
Budd was a big time signing for the promotion when she was brought over in 2021. She made her promotional debut at the end of the season and won a decision. However, it was tough sledding after that. Budd would go on to lose three straight before getting back in the win column this year.
Budd was originally supposed to face off against Harrison during the 2022 season at lightweight. However, she suffered an injury and had to pull out of the fight. Now, she gets her chance to take on the former PFL champion.
PFL Championships
As the 2023 season was gearing up to start, many were wondering how Kayla Harrison would bounce back. Harrison suffered her first career defeat the PFL 2022 championships when Larissa Pacheco beat her up for the better part of five rounds. Harrison couldn’t get anything going and lost for the first time in her MMA career.
It was announced that Harrison wouldn’t compete this season. Instead, Harrison was being shifted to the PPV Super Fight division so with that, it was expected that Harrison wouldn’t return until the PFL returned to PPV. The championship event is their first PPV event of 2023.
Despite losing in her last bout, I expect Harrison to be a massive favorite when these two meet in November. The skills should offset in someways which could make things interesting, but Harrison will rightly be a massive betting favorite.