The US-born Kayla Harrison arrives at UFC 316 after a rapid and successful transition from judo to mixed martial arts. After a dominant UFC debut over Holly Holm at UFC 300 and a unanimous decision win against Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307, which secured her title shot. Harrison’s background as a judoka is central to her fighting style. She is known for her powerful ground game and heavy ground-and-pound, attributes that have made her one of the most popular female fighters in MMA today.
Kayla Harrison And Judo
A two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, Kayla Harrison, traces her love for the sport back to her childhood. At six years old, Harrison was inspired by a karate commercial on television, which led her mother, who had taken judo in college, to introduce her to the local dojo. “I don’t know what it was about judo specifically, but I definitely believe in love at first sight because I fell in love. That was it. I never played any other sports growing up. It was just judo,” Harrison said, in a recent interview.
Kayla Harrison’s dedication to judo quickly became apparent, and her talent was confirmed when she won the junior world championships in Thailand at age 18. “I was like, ‘Oh wow, I’m good at this. I won a big tournament. This is good,’” she recalled. Harrison went on to make history at the 2012 London Olympics, becoming the first American to win Olympic gold in judo, and repeated her success at the 2016 Rio Games.
Her achievements were recognized at the highest levels, with her black belt displayed in the Smithsonian Museum. “Sometimes I still can’t believe it. Sometimes I’m like, ‘The Smithsonian has my black belt in the museum because I won the first gold medal for our country.’ I’m just like, ‘What?’ It’s crazy. But it also taught me that you can do anything you set your mind to—even if no one’s done it before, it’s still possible,” Harrison explained.
UFC 316
After her Olympic career, Kayla Harrison transitioned to MMA, joining the PFL in 2018. She quickly established herself as a dominant force, winning the PFL women’s lightweight tournament twice and compiling an undefeated record until 2022. Harrison’s success in MMA led to her signing with the UFC in early 2024, where she made her debut with a decisive win over former bantamweight champion Holly Holm at UFC 300.
Upcoming this weeken at UFC 316, Julianna Peña will look to defend her world championship against Harrison. While some, including former champion Valentina Shevchenko, have predicted a tough night for Kayla Harrison, oddsmakers currently favor the Olympic champion. If Harrison wins, she will become only the second fighter to hold both an Olympic gold medal and a UFC title, further solidifying her legacy as one of the most accomplished athletes in combat sports.
