Kayla Harrison is quickly approaching her first title shot in the UFC, with Bantamweight Queen Julianna Pena who wants to keep her away from the throne.
Harrison will challenge Pena on UFC 316, a pay-per-view that goes together the 135-pound title fight of the couple on 7 June.
The event, which will go to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, will contain a different title fight, as Merab Dvalishvili defends against Sean O'Malley in the main event.
When it comes to hostility in the structure, most is reserved for the collision of the women's championship. 'The Venezuelan Vixen' added more heat to the rivalry when she accused Harrison of the use of steroids during her combat sport career.
In that sense, Harrison is in the same boat as her former teammate and one of the old rivals of the champion. At the end of 2024, Pena also accused Amanda Nunes of PED use.
Coach Mike Brown problems that lay down Julianna Pena after the last accusation of PED
Harrison was not surprising unhappy with the claim and hit back by saying that her upcoming opponent has 'no class' and repeated how seriously she takes claims from 'cheating'.
And the coach of the American Top Team, former fighter Mike Brown, recently chimed in himself during an interview with MMA Fighting.
Brown wanted to give Pena a wake-up call about the 'freaks' who rule over their respective sports, and hinted that the Bantam weight champion is simply jealous not to be there.
“I mean, I get it. She doesn't look normal. But that's how the world is,” said Brown. “There are people who are not normal, who don't look normal. There are freaks that are there, and those freaks rise to the top of the sport.
“Only because you are not like that does not mean yet [Harrison] Is 100 percent clean.
“Only because you can't do it does not mean that someone else can't do that.”
Julianna Pena warned Kayla Harrison not to underestimate the champion
The Harrison head coach is not the only coach who recently discussed the feud with Pena.
In 2024, prior to confirmation that the two UFC would give 316 co-head, the coach of the champion Mike Valle commented on Harrison's confidence when it comes to defeating Pena.
Valle predicts a moment of realization to touch the challenger when she is opposed to Pena in the cage.
“When Harrison sees Julianna in front of her, she will be like” Oh my God, this girl is much better than what I thought “, and she will be in tons of problems.
“That's what makes this fight so interesting, all the respect for her and her team, but I can't wait [it]. “
'De Venezuelan Vixen' is counted on a large scale in the run -up to UFC 316 and will walk on 7 June as a huge underdog.
But Pena is no stranger to disruptions, after she pulled an all-time UFC shock when she submitted Amanda Nunes in December 2021.