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Larissa Pacheco, the Brazilian mixed martial artist, has made a bold move by setting a price for a non-season fight against two-time Olympic gold medallist Kayla Harrison. This comes after Pacheco expressed her frustration at waiting for a fight against Harrison in the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
This past November, Larissa Pacheco defeated Kayla Harrison for the first time in MMA, winning the PFL lightweight title as well as a million-dollar bonus. It's doubtful that the two will face up as well this season with Harrison withdrawing from the regular season in 2023 with Pacheco weighing in at 145 pounds.
A fourth fight between Pacheco and Harrison "would be amazing" in regards to publicity and an opportunity to conclude the rivalry, although Larissa emphasized that she won't wait around for her. Pacheco suffered two decisions against Harrison in 2019 until gaining her vengeance three years later.
“If they offer me a great purse, or at least something equivalent to what they offer her, I would obviously [do it],” Pacheco said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “But am I going to wait for her to decide when she wants to fight? PFL offered me a spot in the season, so I took it.”
Harrison's return date and rival are yet unknown, however, the two-time Olympic gold winner is anticipated to take part in the new PFL pay-per-view format.
“If I were on the same stage of hers in terms of money and was sure of my contract, relax,” Pacheco said. “Like, ‘I need time for my mind, I need time to assess everything that’s going on and decide which way I wanna go.’ I would possibly do the same thing.
“Kayla has won so many millions of dollars with the PFL and sponsors and everything, so I think she’s happy about that. She wants big names and big fights. Maybe she needs more time to see what’s going on in her life, and all she needs right now are super fights. I’m still very young, I still have a lot to grow. I can’t simply not work just because she doesn’t want [to fight] right now, or because they won’t want to book it right now. I’ll continue working and doing my part.”
Pacheco has a lot to gain from a fight against Harrison. A win against the two-time Olympic gold medalist would be a significant boost to her career and reputation. It would also put her in the spotlight, potentially leading to more high-profile fights and opportunities.
For the time being, Pacheco's only goals are to sweep the 2023 featherweight season, claim two titles in the PFL, and complete the calendar year with additional million dollars in her pocket.
Whether or not the fight happens, Pacheco's bold move has put her in the spotlight and shown that she is willing to do whatever it takes to advance her career. She is a fighter to watch in the coming months and years, and MMA fans can't wait to see what she does next.