Highlights: Kayla Harrison Debuts With Amazing Armbar
This evening’s (Thurs., June 21, 2018) Professional Fighters League (PFL) 2 from the Chicago Theater in Chicago, Illinois, was a sneaky-good card flying under the radar.
Much of that was because it featured the awaited MMA debut of highly-touted Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison. A former training partner and roommate of legendary former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, Harrison was expected to submit opponent Brittney Elkin.
Harrison did just that to start her MMA career off right, using a twisting, turning armbar to score a highly impressive first win. After winning her second judo gold medal in 2016, Harrison shifted to MMA and is currently training at Florida’s American Top Team (ATT) with a plan to eventually fight women’s MMA queen Cris Cyborg in the future. She showed little in the way of striking prowess, getting the clinch and immediately taking the fight to her obvious area of strength, so a bout with Cyborg is understandably a far way off.
For now, watch her submission win in her MMA debut:
A star is born! Kayla Harrison defeats Brittney Elkin by Submission in Round 1. #PFL2 #MMA #PFLmma #WhatDoYouFightFor #Chicago pic.twitter.com/WLzDDDj1af
— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 22, 2018