PFL Chairman Compares "Follower" Kayla Harrison to NBA Stars after UFC Debut

Harrison was the biggest star on the PFL roster before she signed with the UFC.

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Kayla Harrison during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

PFL Chairman Donn Davis has finally shared his thoughts on Kayla Harrison’s decision to leave the promotion and sign with the UFC.

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A two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, Harrison competed under the PFL banner in 16 of her first 17 MMA bouts and won the promotion’s lightweight tournament twice before the 33-year-old decided to make the jump over to the UFC earlier this year.

Harrison’s exit from the PFL was surprising news after the promotion made headlines with its acquisition of Bellator as well as a number of high-profile free agent signings, and in a recent appearance on John McCarthy and Josh Thomson’s podcast Davis asserted that the PFL has become the preferred destination for many top fighters.

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou signed with the PFL last year. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

“We haven’t lost a signing, period," Davis said on Weighing In. "So why do fighters wanna come here? We get to them earlier, we offer them more control, we offer them more flexibility. We’re winning...Fighters don’t wanna be [in the UFC], fighters aren’t signing there. And if fighters are free to leave there, we’d have more of ‘em.”

The PFL did have a busy 2023 where it signed major names such as Jake Paul and Francis Ngannou, and while neither of those men have stepped into the SmartCage as of yet former GLORY kickboxing champion Cédric Doumbé has become already become a star for the promotion and recently scored a win in the co-main event of Bellator Champions Series: Paris.

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Davis’ statement about signing top talent encouraged McCarthy to ask about Harrison’s exit, and the PFL Founder elected to answer the question by making an interesting comparison to NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Kayla Harrison (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Holly Holm (red gloves) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

“Some people at the very, very top of their career are LeBron James, and some at the very, very top of their career are Kevin Durant. And they’re both otherworldly basketball players, but who they are is very different people. One wants to lead and change their sport, and wherever they are is the best in the world. The other is a follower who needs validation. And we couldn’t do anything about that.”

The PFL Chairman’s comments seem to imply that Harrison put herself into the “follower” category by making the jump to the UFC, but during her time with the PFL the former Olympian was arguably the biggest name on the roster and was a regular fixture for both promotional material and major events.

Any concerns about whether or not Harrison could compete in the UFC were addressed when she dropped down to bantamweight and dominated former champion Holly Holm at UFC 300, and after her considerable success in the PFL the 33-year-old now appears poised to challenge for UFC gold in the near future.

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