Kayla Harrison back to the playoffs.
The two-time PFL champion is one step closer to a third after settling things in the main event of 2022 PFL 6 at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. Short-lived substitute Kaitlin Young stood in the way of Harrison Friday night, but was unable to resist much.
It was a dominant performance by Harrison (15-0) in the final game of the regular season on the PFL schedule, who made quick work of Young (12-13-1).
Just over a minute into the first round, Harrison implemented her dominant grappling game and dumped Young with a powerful takedown. The Olympian began operating from side control, looking for submission attempts. Seconds later, Harrison backed away and punches began to rain down on Young’s head. The referee warned Young to fight back, but her positioning didn’t improve and the stoppage soon followed.
“The goal is to go out and dominate, sometimes you just feel it,” Harrison said during her post-fight interview.
Harrison won her first fight of the season, taking three points in a unanimous decision win over Marina Mokhnatkina at 2022 PFL 3 in Arlington, Texas. Harrison was originally scheduled to face former Bellator champion Julia Budd on Friday, but was replaced by Young after he withdrew from the fight.
Harrison took six points from her first-round finish on Friday and will enter the playoffs second seed behind Larissa Pacheco, who also earned six points in the event.
The women’s lightweight play-offs, which take place in London in August, are now in the first round between Pacheco and Olena Kolesnyk and Harrison against Martina Jindrova.
The full 2022 PFL 6 results include:
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Kayla Harrison beats. Kaitlin Young via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:35
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Sadibou Sy def. Rory MacDonald via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
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Ray Cooper III def. Brett Cooper via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 0:24
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Magomed Magomedkerimov def. Dilano Taylor via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:26
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Larissa beats Pacheco. Genah Fabian via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 1, 2:39
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Magomed defeats Umalatov. Jarrah Al Silawi via Knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:33
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Marina Mokhnatkina beats. Abigail Montes via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 30-27)
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Martina Jindrova beats. Zamzagul Fayzallanova via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 4:04
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Olena Kolesnyk beats. Vanessa Melo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)