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Dana White on PFL champ Kayla Harrison joining UFC: ‘I don’t know if she’s ready’

Dana White doesn’t seem too certain about Kayla Harrison making a transition to the UFC at the conclusion of this PFL season.

Harrison (9-0), a two-time Olympic gold medalist and one-time PFL women’s lightweight champion, is considered by many to be among the top talents competing outside the UFC currently, regardless of gender.

After adding another dominant win to her unbeaten record in her season opener this past Thursday, Harrison was asked about a future move to the UFC, and in particular a matchup with her American Top Team teammate, and current two-division UFC champ, Amanda Nunes.

Harrison made it clear her goal is to go down as an all-time great, and it should be quite obvious to everyone what that would ultimately require.

“My goal is to be the greatest of all-time,” Harrison said following her win at 2021 PFL 3. “She is currently the greatest of all-time. The biggest compliment I could give to Amanda is I hope to fight her one day. That’s the best compliment I could give her because that means she’s the GOAT. She’s what we’re all chasing.”

Harrison has made it no secret that her current PFL contract expires at the end of this season. She’s proven she can make the women’s featherweight limit, which is a weight class the UFC employs. Everything seems lined up for a switch, but UFC president White told TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter on Monday that it may not be inevitable.

“I don’t know if she’s ready,” White said. “I mean, when she feels like she’s ready, I’m always looking for the best possible people to come in and fight. If you don’t think that’s we’ve offered her to come over – I just don’t know if her people think she’s ready yet. It’s a whole other level when you get here.”

Harrison, 30, has had minimal trouble with her competition thus far in PFL. She’s earned seven of nine career wins by stoppage, with her most recent 83-second TKO win being the quickest of the bunch.

White said the talent level under the UFC banner is a significant jump, and he speculated Harrison’s management team at Dominance MMA could be slow playing her career.

“Holly (Holm), Germaine (de Randamie), Aspen Ladd … Julianna Pena – the list goes on and on,” White said. “It’s a lot tougher when you come over here. I don’t know if they think she’s ready or not, but we’ll find out.”

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