Kayla Harrison steamrolled through her competition since making her UFC debut in 2024 and finally won the title at UFC 316. She seems unstoppable, and if we look at her division, there are hardly any active fighters who could put up a real fight against Harrison. Nevertheless, the former Olympian does have one loss on her record, and the one who defeated her used to compete in the UFC.

The newer generation of UFC fans may not remember, but old fans surely know Larissa Pacheco‘s name. The Brazilian bantamweight fighter, who has also competed as a featherweight and a lightweight, fought twice under the UFC banner back in 2014 and 2015. But after back-to-back losses, Pacheco was released. Later, she joined the PFL, where she fought Kayla Harrison three times, managing to beat her once. But now, she’s no longer with the PFL and has put forth a request to Dana White to consider signing her.

Kayla Harrison’s ex-rival is ready to come back to the UFC

Larissa Pacheco has been in the fight game for well over a decade. After fighting in multiple promotions and making her mark in the PFL, she has told Dana White that she has the ability to make a major difference in the UFC. “Dana, I’m here, ready and willing. I’m here to prove I have what it takes to be there, to deliver great results, to show a different Larissa,” the 31-year-old told MMA Fighting.

When Kayla Harrison’s ex-rival made her UFC debut, she was just 20 years old and had a lot of room to grow. And she did grow after her departure from the promotion, amassing a 23-5 record and becoming a 2-time PFL champion. Now that she’s in her early 30s, Pacheco, who trains with Amanda Nunes, believes she’s well-equipped to make her return to Dana White’s promotion. She’s willing to prove it to the UFC CEO in any way she needs to.

“I was just a kid when I joined the UFC. I’m mature now. I’m structured, I can make weight and put on a show. I’m ready to fight outside events too if I have to prove to you, Dana, and Mick, the ones running things, that I’m here,” Pacheco added. “My partnership with Amanda only shows my strength as an athlete. I’m here. Just call me. I’m ready to step in, but if I have to prove myself, I’m ready for that too. That’s my life goal right now. I’ve achieved a lot already. Now it’s time to come back home, and hopefully soon, to fight for that UFC belt.”

As Larissa Pacheco expressed her wish to make it back to the UFC, she also shed light on her departure from the PFL. She sounded off about the promotion, claiming that everything was their fault and not hers.

Larissa Pacheco puts the PFL on blast

Prior to her release, Larissa Pacheco had been training for a fight that she was supposed to compete in, but it was scrapped during her training camp. There have been similar issues that other fighters have faced in the PFL, especially after they acquired Bellator. Many, like Aaron Pico, Patricio Pitbull, and Dakota Ditcheva, had to sit out on long hiatuses because they weren’t getting fights. As such, Pacheco claims that the PFL failed her. Also, she asserted that it wasn’t her fault that she was released. However, she has decided to take some time before revealing the core reasons that saw her leave the promotion.

“I was training, I was already in camp,” Pacheco said. “I had to end the camp because they cancelled the fight that was booked,” Pacheco further stated. “There are many news out there. Some things I can say, others I can’t say yet. But I saw one thing I can share, which is about my PFL release. I’m not the one in the wrong. I’ve done my part and delivered fights. They released me for reasons that I’ll talk soon.”

Well, the UFC’s female bantamweight division does lack depth, and Larissa Pacheco will certainly be a welcome addition. Signing her would also add to the list of potential title contenders for Kayla Harrison, given that both of them have a history together. MMA experts have already expressed their desire to see Pacheco in the UFC. So, what do you think? Drop your comments below.