Kayla Harrison has admitted that her MMA career of several millions of dollars would probably not have been possible without the influence of Ronda Rousey.
The legendary Judoka was a double Olympic champion before switching to the cage, where she won two $ 1 million PFL championships. Now she records Julianna Pena in the Co-Main event of UFC 316 in an attempt to become UFC Bantamweight champion on Saturday evening.
Harrison had a lot of run-ins with Rousey during their judo days, but they only competed once in 2005. Rousey won the victory and they both became legends in their own rights to the American judo team.
Kayla Harrison admits that Ronda Rousey made her MMA career possible
Before Ronda Rousey made her UFC debut, promotional boss Dana White stated that women would never fight in the Octagon. She all changed that, and more than ten years later, people like Kayla Harrison Headline attractions in pay-per-view attacks of the world title are.
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“Ronda had a great career and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Ronda Rousey,” she told Bloody Elbow on the UFC 316 Media Day of today. “I have nothing but gratitude for her and the glass ceilings that she shattered for women in this sport.
“I have not told no lies in our judo carrières. My career in judo will be very difficult to touch. And in MMA that is the goal.”
Kayla Harrison recalls the struggle in the time she met Ronda Rousey
Harrison is Rousey's Junior for three years, which means that in 2005 it was a 15-year-old who fought against a girl who just turned 18 years old. At the time, the judo legend had countless struggles in her personal life that hit her on the mats.
“I was 15 and I was sexually abused by my judo coach, it wasn't the best time in my life,” Harrison explained at an emotional moment on Media Day. “She hit me and I don't take anything away from Ronda.”
Harrison's loss against Rousey eventually became the fuel for her fire in the sport; Earning Olympic gold medals in Women's Judo in 2012 and 2016. She made her professional MMA debut in June 2018 on PFL 2 in Chicago and brittney made Elkin with the characteristic Armbar technique of Rousey.