Kayla Harrison on Making Weight for UFC 300: ‘I Was Scared’

Kayla Harrison has admitted that she was scared during her entire camp ahead of her (what turned out to be successful) UFC 300 debut against Holly Holm. But not of the actual fight. The Olympic gold medalist judoka has fought in the 155-pound lightweight division for almost her entire MMA career.

But, since she had to fight the legendary Holm at 135, a full 20 pounds lighter than lightweight, she was mortified of not being able to make weight. In fact, the Florida resident was very surprised she made weight, as she admitted in an interview with veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani moments ago.

“I mean the entire camp I was scared not of the fight, but the weight. I haven’t weighed 135 pounds since I was 16 years old. And on the test cut I went down to 140. And I walked away from millions of dollars of pretty much guaranteed money to gamble on this… This is where good was calling me to go and this was my dream and this is why I started to train MMA in the first place. I didn’t know if I was going to make weight. I can’t believe I made weight,” a laughing Harrison told Helwani.

However, the former PFL champion did manage to make weight, weighing-in at 136-pounds. A one pound leeway is given to fighters in case of non-title bouts, and Harrison weighed-in within that margin. However, the devastating effects of the weight on her weight cut were clear, as she looked haggard and in pain while weighing in. However, despite this she is determined to put herself through the pain again as she called for a shot at the bantamweight title next.

Harrison wants to Pennington for the title next

Kayla Harrison put in a dominant performance and won her UFC debut against Holm in the second round. While she did look a bit jittery, the debutante proved why she is considered one of the best female fighters in the world.

After her victory, the 33-year-old called for a shot at the women’s bantamweight title next. While some, such as bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington are against the prospect of her getting a title shot after just one win at the UFC, there is a good chance it might happen. This is because of the sparse women’s 135-pound landsacape as well as the acute lack of challengers in the division. And Harrison is determined to fulfill her dream and become a UFC champion by the end of the year.

“I want my title next, that’s what I came over here for, one thing and one thing only. I don’t care if it’s Raquel (Pennington), I don’t care if it’s Julianna (Pena), by the end of the year, I will be UFC champion,” she said after her UFC 300 victory. Do you think Harrison should fight Raquel Pennington for the title next?