UFC star Kayla Harrison has explained why it’s so important for her to become a UFC world champion.
At UFC 316, Kayla Harrison will finally get the opportunity to win championship gold in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She’ll be going up against Julianna Pena, the two-time UFC women’s bantamweight champion, as she tries to follow up on her PFL title success by claiming a belt in the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
A lot of people think Kayla Harrison should be the favorite in this one but as we know, mixed martial arts is an unpredictable game. She needs to be as prepared as she’s ever been heading into Newark because if she isn’t, there’s a very real chance of Pena pulling off yet another upset.
In a recent interview, Kayla Harrison openly discussed her desire to win the title.
Kayla Harrison discusses UFC title ambitions
“I’ve done some really amazing things. Being America’s first Olympic champion, doing it, I’ve won millions of dollars. Really, the only reason I still do this-like, I have everything I could ever want-is I want to be UFC champion. This is the last mountain to climb in my athletic career, and I think that makes it pretty special. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Harrison has already cemented her legacy as one of the greatest female combat sports athletes ever. Alas, for her, it’s not enough. She wants to go even further and if she can get through Pena, it’ll set her up for one of the biggest nights of her career as Amanda Nunes continues to tease a return to the cage.
For Pena, she needs to embrace the underdog role once again. She’ll talk the talk as she always does and if she can back it up, we’ll be in for a real treat.
