Kayla Harrison made beating Julianna Pena look straightforward, however her combat earlier than the combat was something however.
The 2-time Olympic gold medalist claimed her first UFC championship on Saturday night time, defeating ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ through kimura within the waning seconds of the second spherical.
Whereas Harrison appeared nothing wanting spectacular in her third Octagon look, combat followers had been involved whether or not or not she would be capable of go 25 minutes after trying particularly emaciated throughout her pre-fight weigh-in.
In fact, Harrison didn’t even want 10 minutes to beat Pena, however she was greater than open about her struggles to make the 135-pound restrict throughout her UFC 316 post-fight interview.
“There are moments in your life the place you have got a alternative: to say ‘I stop’ or to dig in your heels,” Harrison mentioned. “Thursday night time was undoubtedly a type of moments for me. I wished to be anyplace else on earth than in that sauna. It sucks ass. It’s not fairly, nevertheless it’s in these moments when your true character comes out. I’ve been solid within the fireplace. I give all of that to God—he’s made me a hell of a weapon.
“The final two kilos—that was God, and that was the group he’s put round me. All my coaches stored me optimistic. My weight reduce specialist, Eric Pena—I actually wished to surrender, however I didn’t. I used to be like, ‘What the hell am I doing?’ God and my group are what I attribute that to. I assume I’m simply constructed totally different. Everybody at all times thinks I’m a cheater or one thing, however I work actually arduous to be the place I’m at. I’m grateful for the doubters and the haters, as a result of meaning they’re watching.”
Within the Olympics, Harrison competed within the 172-pound weight class earlier than making the transfer to blended martial arts. For the PFL, she was a two-time champion at featherweight, a division that ceased to exist within the UFC after Amanda Nunes retired from the game in 2023.
