Kayla Harrison, a two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist in judo, will make her mixed martial arts debut against Brittney Elkin on June 21 in Chicago.
The Professional Fighters League, formerly known as World Series of Fighting, announced Harrison's debut on Wednesday. The promotion has not yet announced Elkin (3-4) as her opponent, but sources confirmed that news to ESPN, following a report by MMAFighting.com.
The PFL 2 event will take place at Chicago Theater. The event will also feature former Bellator MMA champion and UFC veteran Will Brooks.
Harrison, 27, won Olympic gold for the U.S. in 2012 and 2016 in the 78-kilogram division (172 pounds). Her MMA debut will be contested at 155 pounds.
Harrison expressed some reluctance to transition to MMA, citing certain aspects of the sport she wasn't keen on, but ultimately signed with WSOF in October 2016.
Born in Middleton, Ohio, Harrison is not the first high-profile female judoka to translate her skills to MMA. Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games. Rousey, of course, went on to become the first and most popular female fighter in UFC history.
The re-branded PFL promotion is in the process of launching its first "season," which will culminate in a playoff-style format at the end of the year.
