Kayla Harrison learned a lot about herself in her last fight.
Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) became the UFC bantamweight champion in just her third Octagon appearance earlier this year when she submitted Julianna Peña at UFC 316. Adding a UFC title to the numerous PFL World Tournament victories and Olympic gold medals she had already earned before signing with the promotion last year, Harrison said the win over Peña erased any lingering doubts she had about just how good she truly is.
“I do think if I take anything away from this fight, it’s to remember who the ‘F’ I am,” Harrison told MMA Fighting. “Not that I was listening to the outside noise but I was like, ‘Oh yeah, this girl beat Amanda (Nunes) and she’s going to drag me into deep waters and I’m going to have to be smart’ and of course, all that is true. She beat Amanda. She is tough as nails. Her game plan was to drag me into deep waters.
“But I’m the best fighter in the world. I probably could have unleashed in the first round a little bit more but I was a little bit hesitant. The first round’s a feeling out process, what if she comes out swinging in the second round? Don’t get (impatient), take your time, pick your shots. No, I’m the best fighter in the world.”
Harrison’s promotional debut last year came under the brightest of lights when she took on Holly Holm at UFC 300. A dominant performance and an impressive submission win over the former bantamweight champion announced Harrison’s arrival as a real contender at 135 pounds, and when she outpointed Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307 in October, she became the clear frontrunner to challenge Peña for the title.
After dominating the “Venezuelan Vixen” for almost two full rounds, Harrison fulfilled her destiny when she forced Peña to tap in the dying moments of the second round by way of a kimura…a moment she will remember forever.
“I was overwhelmed with emotion,” Harrison said. “You’re almost holding your breath. You’re almost kind of like don’t mess up, don’t mess up, be smart. It was short time, I heard the clapper, I was like I had the grip, it’s a position I’m really comfortable in. I drill it with (Steve) Mocco and Mike (Brown) all the time. It’s a submission I get quite a bit in practice as well.
“Dude, I just couldn’t believe. I could not believe it. I couldn’t believe that she tapped. I couldn’t believe it was over. I couldn’t believe I was UFC champion. It was overwhelming.”
A superfight against the returning former champion Amanda Nunes seems likely to be next for Harrison. Peña has stated that she will wait to face the winner, but Harrison thinks her former adversary needs to get back to work and rack up some victories inside the Octagon before she can be considered for another title shot.
“I mean I don’t think so,” Harrison said. “Again, not talking crap. I think she’s 2-2 in her last four or 3-3 in her last six, something like that. I think she’s got to go back to the drawing board and get some wins.
“There’s also a whole division, there’s a lot of young, hungry killers coming up. We’ll see. I’ll fight whoever they want me to fight but in my heart, I don’t think that we’ll fight again.”
