Kayla Harrison Wins UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship

Kayla Harrison made a significant impression in her third UFC match, submitting Juliana Pena at UFC 316 on Saturday night to claim the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship. This victory sets the stage for an anticipated face-off with Amanda Nunes.

After her win, Harrison stepped outside the octagon to greet President Donald Trump, who was attending the event at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It seemed she was a bit taken aback at the moment. “The President of the United States is kissing me on the cheek. I’m like a sacred cow,” she remarked post-fight. “And Mike Tyson is right there! I’m in a movie now? What’s going on?”

Looking ahead, it seems Harrison is on a trajectory toward a showdown with Nunes, who retired in 2023 and vacated the bantamweight title. Notably, Nunes is currently out of the UFC’s drug testing pool and will need to complete a six-month random drug test before competing again.

Harrison’s climb to the top has been impressive. She transitioned from a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo to become a dominant figure in mixed martial arts. Her MMA debut in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in 2018 marked the beginning of her rise, and she captured the PFL Women’s Lightweight Championship in both 2019 and 2021.

With this recent victory, Harrison has now achieved three wins in the UFC, previously defeating notable fighters like Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira.