Kayla Harrison reacts after upset loss to Larissa Pacheco in PFL Championship: “I fell flat on my face… it’s going to hurt for a while”

Kayla Harrison is disappointed in her performance.

Harrison suffered her first career loss in the main event of the 2022 PFL Championship as she dropped a decision to Larissa Pacheco. The fight was competitive but Pacheco was able to do enough to stun Harrison and become the new PFL champ.

Harrison – who had defeated Pacheco twice – says the loss is going to sting for a long time.

“I just think I talk a lot about legacy, right?” Harrison said after the loss to the media (via MMAJunkie). “And to me, my legacy isn’t just what I do inside the cage. It’s how I carry myself outside the cage. I think about what I want my kids to know and I’m not ashamed of myself tonight. I’m proud. I went out there, I fought and I lost. But I can hold my head high and carry myself with dignity and I think that a real champion shows up in the good times and the bad.

“I want kids everywhere to know that, listen: I fell down tonight, I fell flat on my face,” Harrison continued. “I lost in front of the whole world, and it hurt and it’s going to hurt for a while. But it’s also an opportunity for growth and opportunity for me to become a better fighter, a better person, and that is part of my legacy – not just the wins, but what I do during the losses, as well.”

Harrison says she has ‘a lot to work on’

Kayla Harrison now plans to use this loss as fuel and a good learning experience for her. Although she has said she won’t be in next year’s season, Harrison is excited to see what is next for her and how she will rebound.

“I have a lot to work on,” Harrison said. “Failure is my fuel. Some days you’re the nail and some days you’re the hammer. I feel like I’ve been the hammer for a while, and today I experienced being the nail. This is an opportunity for me to grow as a fighter and as a person…

“I’m very fortunate this isn’t the first time I’ve lost in life or in a sport setting,” Harrison added. “You know, I lost many times in judo. It’s a little different in MMA, obviously. It’s the world’s biggest stage. I obviously just lost my title. That hurts and it’s going to hurt for a while. … It’s different in the sense there’s $1 million on the line. I feel like I’m the face of the promotion, so I dropped the ball a little bit. But losing is losing, you know. For me, I want to crawl out of my skin. I can’t stand it. It’s painful.”

Harrison had planned to take a break after this fight after being involved in three straight seasons. Yet, she says that may not be the case as she wants to return soon and get past the loss.

“I thought I was going to take a break, but it’s going to be hard now,” Harrison said.

Were you surprised to see Kayla Harrison lose to Larissa Pacheco?