Kayla Harrison Nominated For Best MMA Fight At ESPYs

PFL champion Kayla Harrison has been nominated for an ESPY Award.

Harrison, who is seeking another PFL title, was nominated in the category of Best MMA Fighter for the 2022 ESPYs.

Being recognized in the pantheon of the sport’s greatest fighters alongside Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira and Kamaru Usman, further accentuates Harrison’s emergence as a global MMA icon.

Following her run to back-to-back gold medals in judo at the London and Rio Olympic Games, she joined PFL and has since claimed the 2019 and 2021 Women’s Lightweight World Championships.

Each year, the ESPYS recognize the top teams and athletes in the world in front of the sports industry’s fan favorites and biggest stars. Fans can cast their vote for Harrison now and tune in to the show on ABC on July 20 at 8 pm ET.

“The PFL family is ecstatic to see Kayla recognized alongside the best athletes in the world, as we know the tireless effort and dedication she’s put into becoming one of the elite combat sports stars,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “In a sport where headlines are traditionally dominated by men, Kayla is a transcendent talent and we’re excited to see where she takes the future of women’s MMA as she continues building her legacy.”

Harrison returns to the PFL SmartCage this Friday, July 1 in primetime on ESPN and ESPN+ as she seeks to earn a playoff spot with a finish against MMA veteran Kaitlin Young. She began her 2022 Regular Season with a unanimous decision against Marina Mokhnatkina to move her career record to 13-0, and currently sits in second place in the Women’s Lightweight standings.