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ATT’s Kayla Harrison and Dan Lambert talk PFL MMA in South Florida and AEW. Plus, Julia Budd

Kayla Harrison looks to add another championship to her competitive legacy in the PFL MMA finals on Oct. 27 in South Florida, and Dan Lambert, founder of South Florida-based American Top Team (where Harrison trains), will be there.

Harrison and Lambert have a very good working relationship. They appeared on an episode of All Elite Wrestling “AEW Dynamite” on TNT. Lambert leads Team ATT (Junior dos Santos, Paige VanZant, Austin Vanderford, Dalton Rosta, Andrei Arlovski, Jorge Masvidal) with the Men of the Year (Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky) on the weekly pro wrestling, prime-time TV show, but for Harrison, it was a one-time deal as she is focused on PFL MMA gold and a cool $1 million.

In my video interview with Harrison, she discusses that “one time” on All Elite Wrestling, Dan Lambert, Tony Khan, Chris Jericho and more.

Wearing a PFL T-shirt, Harrison appeared in one episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT in September with Lambert and ATT fighters Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski, Austin Vanderford, and Paige VanZant along with Men of the Year (pro wrestlers Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky). They were confronted by the Inner Circle (Jake Hager and Jericho).

Harrison looked good in a wrestling ring during the Lambert/Inner Circle promo. Since then, she has been asked constantly about any pro wrestling plans in her future or present, similar to the path of “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey, who excelled in judo, MMA and then pro wrestling.

Not now.

These days Harrison is 100 percent focused on Taylor Guardado, her opponent who stands in her way of another PFL MMA championship and that $1 million.

Kayla Harrison of American Top Team fights Taylor Guardado in the finals of the PFL MMA Championships on Oct. 27 on ESPN2 and ESPN+ from Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood in South Florida. There will be six title fights with each champ winning $1-million.
Kayla Harrison of American Top Team fights Taylor Guardado in the finals of the PFL MMA Championships on Oct. 27 on ESPN2 and ESPN+ from Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood in South Florida. There will be six title fights with each champ winning $1-million.

Harrison vs. Guardado is the main event on ESPN2 on Wednesday from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood in South Florida, about 25 miles south of American Top Team in Coconut Creek.

Each champion in six championship fights on Oct. 27 wins the PFL title and $1 million.

The PFL MMA offers a regular season and playoff format, culminating with those finals on Wednesday. The PFL semifinals were in August in South Florida also at Hard Rock Live.

Harrison, undefeated in MMA, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, the first U.S. judoka to win Olympic gold. She has appeared on “Impractical Jokers” on Tru TV, and she leads The Fearless Foundation.

Harrison / The Fearless Foundation: https://www.kaylaharrison.com/.

In my video interview with Harrison, she discusses the PFL MMA finals, Taylor Guardado, Halloween, AEW, Dan Lambert and more.

The PFL MMA Championships are Wednesday on ESPN+ and ESPN2 from Hard Rock Live in South Florida.

In my audio interview with Lambert, he discusses All Elite Wrestling, American Top Team, the pro wrestling debut of ATT’s Junior dos Santos, King Mo, Jorge Masvidal, Paige VanZant, The Inner Circle, PFL MMA, Kayla Harrison, and more.

Dos Santos, a former UFC heavyweight champ, made his pro wrestling debut in a six-man tag with Men of the Year against the Inner Circle (Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager and Chris Jericho) in the main event of AEW Rampage on Oct. 15, 2021 from Miami and the James L. Knight Center.

Lambert, a long-time pro wrestling fan, has worked for Impact Wrestling and Major League Wrestling, prior to AEW under the direction of Tony Khan and Cody Rhodes.

Lambert will not be at AEW Dynamite on Wednesday but rather the PFL MMA Championships as five fighters from ATT, including Harrison reached the finals.

ATT Twitter: https://twitter.com/americantopteam

Where Harrison is in the main event against Taylor Guardado on ESPN2, Julia Budd, a former Bellator champion, will make her PFL debut on the card.

Budd fights Kaitlin Young, who she knows from her Invicta days. Their bout will be during the prelims on ESPN+.

Here is my video interview with Budd as she discusses her PFL MMA debut, training, Bellator, Invicta, Florida, Canada, Kayla Harrison, NHL, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hitman Hart and more.

Budd (15-3) was 9-1 in Bellator, including winning her last two fights (the latest a split decision win over Dayana Silva in April at Bellator 257).

Originally from Canada, the 38-year-old Budd is experienced in kickboxing and MMA. She competed in Strikeforce and Invicta, which is dedicated to women’s MMA.

Budd trains at Gibson Kickboxing & Pankration Academy, owned and operated by her husband, Lance Gibson, a former MMA fighter; his son, Lance Jr., a current Bellator lightweight fighter; and her.

Budd Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuliaBudd

Budd will be part of the PFL MMA regular season format in 2022, fighting to reach the playoffs and finals en route to the championship and $1-million opportunity.

https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/10/sean-oconnell-opinion-analysis-kayla-harrison-pfl-pay-contract-ufc-women-mma-video

PFL MMA Night of Champions on Oct. 27, 2021 at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood in South Florida.
PFL MMA Night of Champions on Oct. 27, 2021 at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood in South Florida.

PFL World Championship Card:

Oct. 27 at Hard Rock Live

In South Florida

On ESPN2

Championship: Kayla Harrison of ATT vs. Taylor Guardado

Championship: Ray Cooper III vs. Magomed Magomedkerimov of ATT

Claressa Shields vs. Abigail Montes

Championship: Bruno Cappelozza vs. Ante Delija

Championship: Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Chris Wade

https://www.the-sun.com/sport/3907487/mma-league-pfl-boxers-prize/

PFL MMA Night of Champions on Oct. 27, 2021 at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood in South Florida.
PFL MMA Night of Champions on Oct. 27, 2021 at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood in South Florida.

On ESPN+

Championship: Antonio Carlos Junior of ATT vs. Marthin Hamlet

Championship: Loik Radzhabov of Sanford MMA vs. Raush Manfio of ATT

Omari Akhmedov vs. Jordan Young

Julia Budd vs. Kaitlyn Young

Don Madge vs. Nathan Williams

For tickets:

https://www.ticketmaster.com/the-2021-professional-fighters-league-mma-hollywood-florida-10-27-2021/event/0D005B0BC0D0B60A

There is a discount for active military members and veterans.

Active military members and veterans can receive a discount on tickets for the PFL MMA Championships on Oct. 27 at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in South Florida near Hollywood.
Active military members and veterans can receive a discount on tickets for the PFL MMA Championships on Oct. 27 at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in South Florida near Hollywood.

For more info, visit www.PFLmma.com and follow PFL on Instagram (@PFLmma), Twitter (@PFLMMA), and Facebook (/PFLmma).

My MMA & Pro Wrestling Talk on the Web and Social Media

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/fighting/

Twitter: @jimmyv3

YouTube: jim varsallone (jimmyv3 channel)

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