Julia Budd, the former Bellator women’s featherweight champion, has signed a contract with PFL, the promotion announced Wednesday.
Budd will make her debut Oct. 27 against Kaitlin Young in a lightweight fight on the undercard of PFL’s championship event in Hollywood, Florida. She will then be a part of PFL’s season structure next year.
Budd has long been one of the best featherweights (145 pounds) in the world, but PFL currently has only a lightweight division (155 pounds) for women. Sources told ESPN the promotion has not yet decided whether it will have a women’s featherweight or lightweight division in 2022.
Budd’s addition is significant because if women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo champion, re-signs with PFL, Budd would potentially be the toughest challenge of her career to this point. Harrison fights Taylor Guardado in an attempt to win her second straight PFL women’s lightweight championship on the finals card Oct. 27. Harrison is a free agent after that.
In addition, PFL is expected to announce Wednesday that renowned musical artist Wiz Khalifa will perform live during the championship card at the Seminole Hotel & Casino. Khalifa is part of PFL’s ownership group.
Budd (15-3) held the Bellator women’s featherweight title from 2017 to 2020, when she dropped the belt to all-time great Cris Cyborg. The Canada native has won 13 of her past 14 fights, and Cyborg was the only opponent to beat her since 2011, when Budd fell to former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
Budd has lost to only three women in her career: Cyborg, Rousey and current UFC double champion Amanda Nunes, whom many recognize as the best female MMA fighter ever.