Larissa Pacheco, the only fighter to ever defeat Kayla Harrison in MMA, is left questioning whether the UFC is deliberately avoiding her after being repeatedly passed over for a contract.
The Brazilian powerhouse, a two-division PFL champion, has been a free agent since early 2025 and has made no secret of her desire to join the UFC. But despite a dominant resume and a recent win at Karate Combat—where she made bantamweight and scored a violent knockout over Polish kickboxer Julia Stasiuk in Miami—the UFC still won't make an offer.
"Sam got in touch with Mick, sent him an email, pitched everything he could," Pacheco told PVT. "But the response was, 'I'm not interested but thank you.' And that was it."
Pacheco's manager confirmed the email was sent Tuesday, but the answer remains a firm no. For a fighter who has done everything asked of her, the silence is frustrating.
"I don't know what else I have to prove or explain," Pacheco said. "I've already campaigned to get in, I've already shown my value. Since I left (the UFC 11 years ago), I've shown my evolution as an athlete. I beat their champion. I knocked out Irene Aldana and submitted Karol Rosa, who are girls ranked in their division. I don't know what else I have to do for them to sign me. That answer was very clear to me."
Pacheco's history with Kayla Harrison only adds intrigue. The two fought three times in the PFL between 2019 and 2022, with Pacheco losing the first two before decisively winning their trilogy. Harrison has never lost since, going on to capture the UFC bantamweight title in 2025 with a win over Julianna Peña.
That connection has Pacheco wondering if there's more to the story.
"I don't know what's missing, what the problem is," Pacheco said. "I'd like to understand it better. Like, 'Larissa, we don't like you, you don't sell.' I don't know. But I don't think that's it. I don't know if they're trying to protect Kayla. I don't know if it's about that. But I'd really like to have an answer about it."
For fans of women's MMA, a potential Pacheco vs. Harrison rematch in the UFC would be a blockbuster. But for now, the UFC's door remains closed—and Pacheco is left wondering why.