Julianna Pena accuses bitter UFC rival Kayla Harrison of PED use: ‘Put down the needle, bro’
Former undisputed bantamweight champion, Julianna Pena has claimed that while maybe not currently – recent Octagon debutante, Kayla Harrison most definitely utilized performance enhancing drugs during her early career, leading to a fiery response from the former PFL star.
Pena, the current number one ranked bantamweight challenger, is widely expected to make her return at UFC 307 in October, challenging for Octagon gold once again in a title fight against former TUF stablemate, Raquel Pennington in Utah.
Sidelined since July of 2022, Pena most recently suffered a one-sided unanimous decision loss to former duel-weight champion, Amanda Nunes in the pair’s title fight rematch, dropping her championship as a result.
As for Harrison, the former two-time PFL tournament victor and two-time Olympic gold medal winner, made her long-anticipated debut in the promotion at UFC 300, taking out common-foe, former titleholder, Holly Holm with a dominant second round rear-naked choke win.
Julianna Pena accuses Kayla Harrison of PED use
And while gearing up for an expected title charge in the near future, Harrison looks set to miss out on a pursuit of the crown to Washington native, Pena – who pointed some rather fierce accusations in the direction of the veteran overnight.
“Stay off the needle, bro,” Julianna Pena told MMA Fighting of Kayla Harrison. “Maybe not not [is she utilizing performance enhancing drugs] but definitely in hepast. Absolutely. There is no question. I just already have the mindset that people are cheating. Especially from ATT (American Top Team), 100 percent at ATT.”
“When Dan Lambert flew me out there after I won The Ultimate Fighter, they literally told me that all the girls are in the bathroom shooting each other in the ass with the steroids,” Julianna Pena continued.
Drawing a stern response from recently-minted UFC star, Harrison, the Ohio veteran maintained that since the age of 12, she has ben subject to testing from former UFC partner, the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
“I have been tested by USADA since I was 12 years old,” Kayla Harrison posted in response on her official X account. “You will find every excuse in the world not to fight me, and the only shot in the ass people need around u (sic) is anti-nausea medication.”
Who wins in a future grudge fight: Julianna Pena or Kayla Harrison?
