Kayla Harrison, Anthony Pettis Headline PFL 3 Main Takeaways

The Professional Fighters League wrapped up the first half of its 2022 Regular Season with a star-studded PFL 3 card that took place last Friday, May 6th at the Esports Stadium Arlington in Texas.

As the elimination round shifts into the home stretch, here are a few takeaways from Friday’s exciting night of fights:

Kayla Harrison Still Unstoppable Force

PFL 3’s main event saw Kayla Harrison extend her unbeaten streak to 13 straight fights after scoring a convincing unanimous decision win over Marina Mokhnatkina.

Harrison showcased her improved striking and ever-dominant ground game to pick up three points in this season’s women’s lightweight rankings, and Mokhnatkina became just the second woman to go the distance with her.

As much as that sounds like a compliment for Mokhnatkina, it speaks more to just how far Harrison is ahead of the league’s women’s 155-pound roster.

A world-class grappler in her own right, Mokhnatkina did avoid getting stopped but was still on the losing end of what many people could call a sub-par performance from Harrison.

By all accounts, Harrison remains the odds-on favorite for the PFL women’s championship.

Anthony Pettis In True Vintage Form

Former UFC lightweight titleholder Anthony Pettis was able to turn back the clock for a bit as he looked every bit like the "Showtime" of old in his first-round submission victory over Myles Price.

Pettis took the fight to the ground early and worked his way into a mounted triangle choke from there, forcing Price to tap out in just under a round.

It was Pettis’ first win under the PFL banner, and the win put him atop the lightweight standings with six points. I

f this is any indication of how seriously Pettis has taken this season, he should be a favorite to challenge for the PFL’s 155-pound title when the 2022 World Championships roll around.

Speaking of turning back the clock, ex Bellator welterweight kingpin Rory MacDonald also turned in a vintage dominant performance, submitting veteran Brett Cooper by rear-naked choke in the first round to pick up six points and move into the top of the welterweight standings.

Standouts From PFL Challenger Series Shine

Prior to the 2022 Regular Season, the promotion launched a brand new property known as the PFL Challenger Series.

It was a platform for up-and-coming fighters to compete for a chance at a PFL contract, and the aforementioned card saw three Challenger Series alumni in Carlos Leal, Jarrah Al-Silawi, and Martina Jindrova.

All three of them picked up impressive victories, with Leal scoring the biggest one: an upset win over two-time PFL champion Ray Cooper III.

With the Challenger Series, PFL’s goal was to put the spotlight on unheralded talent and potentially give them the global platform to shine.

Leal, Al-Silawi and Jindrova have all successfully introduced themselves to a bigger audience via PFL. It’s safe to say that the Challenger Series is doing its job.

The organization returns on June 17th with PFL 4 as the organization will be heading to Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta, Georgia for the second half of the 2022 Regular Season.

Moreover, the race for the postseason heats up as lightweights and heavyweights battle for a spot in the playoffs.