Kayla Harrison is completely prepared for her upcoming UFC debut.
In many aspects, she has symbolized the essence of the PFL since her venture into MMA in 2018. However, in January, the two-time Olympic gold medalist inked a deal with the UFC and swiftly secured a bout against Holly Holm at UFC 300. We discussed the signing of Harrison on our YouTube channel:
It marks a significant transition for Harrison, who has competed in 16 out of her 17 professional fights within the confines of the SmartCage. Yet, in a conversation with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, she shed light on the reasoning behind her decision.
“Of course [there was trepidation] – you think I’m crazy? It was definitely — it was a really hard time in my life. It was a really hard decision for me to make. I was really scared. I was really scared about all of it. The weight cut and the unknown.
“Whether I like it or not, this is a totally new beast to me. Yes, it’s MMA, but at the PFL, I started with them. I was with them before they were the PFL. I grew with them. I know everybody, everybody knows me. I know that animal. I’ve been there. It’s comfortable, it’s familiar. Fighting is never safe, but it’s probably as safe as it can get. And this is not that. This is not that. …
“I’m excited. I feel like I’m ready for a new challenge. I’m ready for a new chapter. I don’t have a ton of years left fighting. I think that I’m a two-time Olympic champion, I’m a two-time PFL champion, I have plenty of money in the bank. When I started MMA, I wanted to be UFC champion. That’s not a knock on the PFL — it didn’t even exist then — but when I started in MMA, the goal was to be UFC champion. Along the way the goal might have changed a little bit, and I might have felt like it wasn’t as necessary, but I want to be UFC champion.”
Undoubtedly, the move to the UFC isn’t the sole major shift for Harrison. The two-time PFL champion spent the majority of her MMA career fighting at 155 pounds, but in the UFC, she will be contending in the 135-pound weight class. It’s a considerable drop, one that she previously expressed would necessitate her to make significant sacrifices.
However, with just one month left until the fight, everything appears to be proceeding smoothly.
“I’m currently at around 150 pounds,” Harrison disclosed to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour.
“Life is still good. It’s chosen suffering. We all make sacrifices, we all have to pay now or pay later, but eventually we all pay. This is something that I’m willing to sacrifice for. This is something I signed on the dotted line for. It’s my responsibility, it’s my duty.
“Does it suck sometimes when it’s Friday night, and I order pizza for my kids? Yeah, of course. ‘Just one slice!’ You have those voices in your head. [Laughs]. But overall, I feel good. My body feels good, my mind is clear, my heart is wide open and ready for the future, and all of the excitement that’s building. I’m fueled, I’m hydrated, life is good.”
While Harrison mentioned that competing at 145 pounds wasn’t up for negotiation during the UFC discussions, she seemed unperturbed by that fact.
Harrison exudes supreme confidence that weight won’t pose an issue come April. Moreover, she believes this bodes ill for Holly Holm.
“I’m a professional,” she said. “My life is not — I think that people have this misconception that because I fought at 155 pounds for so long that maybe I walk around at 180 pounds or something. But the max I get is 165. I just didn’t cut weight. I don’t love it. I don’t agree with it. I don’t think it sends the right message to kids, and I think it’s probably pretty unhealthy and not safe. But I’m doing it the right way. … I’m a well-oiled machine at this point, and I feel really good. Training is going great. I feel like I’m hitting my stride, I’m about to hit my peak. It’s all coming together.”
Apart from transitioning to a new promotion and a different weight class, there’s another novelty awaiting Harrison at UFC 300: She will finally have the liberty to employ elbow strikes. The two-time PFL champion aims to demonstrate to Holm the significant impact this change holds for her.
“I think, realistically, we’re going to get a nice takedown, and then people are going to see what Kayla Harrison can do with some f****** elbows. Some real ground and pound. I’m excited.”
UFC 300 is scheduled for April 13 in Las Vegas.
