Donn Davis Challenges Dana White To $8M Kayla Harrison Bet
PFL Chairman Donn Davis has made Dana White an $8 million bet to see if Kayla Harrison is the best fighter.
His comments come after White responded to the PFL’s recent video of Harrison. The PFL shared footage of Harrison’s only defeat in the PFL against Larissa Pacheco. They had faced each other three times, with Harrison having a 2-1 advantage in the head-to-head. It was an attempt to market the card where Larissa will feature against Cris Cyborg.
Their last meeting ended in Pacheco beating Harrison. Kayla would then leave the PFL and sign a deal with the UFC. She made her debut at UFC 300, beating Holly Holm. She followed that up with a victory against Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307. Davis has said their upcoming Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira card on October 19 will cost more than the $20 million the UFC spent at UFC 306 at The Sphere.
White On The PFL
“I think when you’re losing as much money as they are, go for it. Throw the kitchen sink at it. Listen, it’s all fair. They’re drowning. They suck. They’re not good at what they do. I guess you would just keep trying anything you can to make something stick. All good,” White said
Davis has now stated that he wants to do a co-promotion. He has proposed fights between Cris Cyborg and Kayla Harrison, as well as Larissa Pacheco and Julianna Pena. Each fighter would receive $2 million, which the losing company would pay. Although White has yet to respond, it is unlikely to happen. The CEO of the UFC has previously ruled out doing any co-promotion with the PFL. He made those comments after Francis Ngannou left the UFC once contract talks broke down.
Ngannou would eventually end up signing with the PFL. This ended any hopes of fans getting the chance to see Ngannou face Jon Jones. White confirmed that he would never work with Ngannou again. He also refused to co-promote with the PFL, downplaying their pulling power. Although that may be the case, it could change moving forward. The introduction of the Saudis into MMA has given more reason to make the big fights.
Davis Responds
The PFL had their first card in Saudi Arabia on the PFL vs. Bellator Champs card this year. The UFC also held its first event in Saudi Arabia this year. Riyadh Season followed that up by sponsoring UFC 306, as $20 million was spent on the event. That shows that the Saudis are willing to back the biggest fights.
Cyborg vs. Harrison is one of those. They were repeatedly linked with the fight during Harrison’s time in the PFL. Once the PFL acquired Bellator, there was an increasing chance of that happening. However, the talks never led to a fight, as Harrison would later sign with the UFC. But that could all change if the Saudis want to make it happen.
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