How much did Kayla Harrison make? Exploring former PFL lightweight's earnings
Former Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison is a prominent name in the world of MMA today. The 34-year-old started her professional MMA journey back in June 2018 and has been a part of 18 professional fights.
Harrison has an overall record of 17-1, with her only loss coming against Larissa Pacheco. The Ohio native's last PFL fight took place in November 2023. She took on former UFC athlete Aspen Ladd in a catchweight bout (150 pounds) at PFL 10. The bout went the 15-minute distance and Harrison got her hand raised via unanimous decision.
Now, after having a successful run in the PFL, the Olympic gold medalist has joined hands with the top MMA promotion - UFC.
How much did Kayla Harrison make in PFL?
For MMA fans, Kayla Harrison was one of the major attractions in the PFL. Her popularity has led many to be curious about her earnings from the promotion.
Ahead of the PFL season in 2022, Harrison's manager, Ali Abdelaziz claimed that after signing a new deal with the promotion, the 34-year-old became the highest-paid female athlete in MMA history.
Harrison competed at PFL in July 2022. She took on Kaitlin Young and defeated her via knockout in the opening round of the fight. The Olympic gold medalist earned a whopping sum of $500,000 for her efforts in that fight.
Who will Kayla Harrison fight next?
Kayla Harrison made her UFC debut at the highly anticipated UFC 300 event against former UFC champion Holly Holm in the bantamweight division. This was Harrison's first competitive appearance in the 135-pound division and she emerged victorious with a second-round submission. The win catapulted her to the No.3 spot in the official UFC women's bantamweight rankings.
Harrison is now scheduled to return to action against No.2-ranked Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307. The event will take place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on Oct. 5. Women's bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington will attempt the first defense of her title against former title holder Julianna Pena in the co-main event. The winner of Vieira vs. Harrison will be the likely next challenger to the title.