Kayla Harrison plots vicious win in UFC 300 debut: ‘They’ll have no choice but to give me a title shot’
Ahead of her Octagon debut next month in a potential title-eliminator against former bantamweight champion, Holly Holm, Kayla Harrison has vowed to put on such a vicious beating on the Albuquerque veteran at UFC 300, that the promotion will be left with no option to hand her a shot at gold.
Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medal winner and a two-time lightweight tournament victor under the banner of the PFL (Professional Fighters League) – made her long-anticipated move to the UFC late last year, booking a promotional bow with the returning ex-gold holder, Holm.
And opening as both a significant betting favorite to beat the boxing Hall of Fame inductee next month in Las Vegas, and stunningly, to hold the bantamweight title by the end of this year, Harrison most recently turned in a decision win over Octagon-alum, Aspen Ladd back in November of last year in Washington.
Plotting a championship charge against newly-minted gold holder, Raquel Pennington off the back of The Ultimate Fighter veteran’s shutout win over Mayra Bueno Silva back in January, Harrison was promptly urged her hold her proverbial horses.
Kayla Harrison plans title fight after UFC 300 debut
However, speaking during a Q&A session today ahead of UFC 299 this weekend in Miami, Florida, American Top Team staple, Harrison vowed to leave herself irresistible to a title charge – with a dominant win over storied contender, Holm next month at UFC 300.
“I plan on putting on such a beating that they [the UFC] have no choice but to give me a title shot after that,” Kayla Harrison told assembled media and fans during today’s Q&A ahead of UFC 300.
Slated to make bantamweight waters for the first time in her storied and already-illustrious mixed martial arts career, 33-year-old Ohio native was backed to comfortably make 135 pounds by promotional CEO, Dana White ahead of the event next month.
Urging fans and pundits to remain calm regarding her impending weight cut to bantamweight for the first time in her career, Harrison claimed there was a strange idea floating around regarding her apparent stature – in the region of 180 pounds.
“There’s a misconception out there that I walk around at 180 pounds or something,” Kayla Harrison said. “I have walked around most of my MMA career at 165 [pounds], 160 [pounds]. I don’t like cutting weight. I don’t believe in cutting weight. I don’t think it sends the right message to kids. That being said, I don’t agree with this but sometimes you have to show up and do things you don’t agree with in order to make your dreams come true.”
“The whole time I was [in the PFL], I walked around at 165, maybe 160 and so not only was I usually the smaller fighter with less experience,” Kayla Harrison explained. “I was getting in the cage with girls who were getting in there at 180 [pounds], 175 pounds. Now, that’s not going to be the case.”
Drafting a long-time foe of Harrison into her camp for UFC 300, Holm has brought former opponent and dominant current Bellator MMA featherweight queen, and former UFC champion, Cris Cyborg to New Mexico to help her prepare for her comeback.
Who wins at UFC 300 next month: Kayla Harrison or Holly Holm?
