Kayla Harrison has a clear path to a UFC title fight, but she's willing to take a break along the way if asked.
That could be in the future for Harrison, a two-time PFL champion who made her Octagon debut at UFC 300 this April with a dominant win over Holly Holm. Harrison's PFL title and Olympic judo gold medal have already sparked rumors among fans that she could rise to the forefront of the bantamweight division, with champion Raquel Pennington expected to face Julianna Peña by the end of 2024.
Ailin Perez, who is 3-0 in the UFC's 135-pound division, recently challenged Harrison to a fight against the number one contender, and while Harrison probably won't have to accept the challenge, he could do so.
“I've heard that too,” Harrison told media ahead of the 2024 UFC Hall of Fame ceremony in Las Vegas on Thursday. “A twerking dancer and a judo girl. Look, I'm going to fight both of them on the same night, so it's OK. I'll fight anybody. I'm not gonna say no to anybody.”
“It's kind of bad sometimes, I don't know what to say,” Harrison added, “You're twerking and I don't know how to handle it, so yeah, I'm gonna fight you.”
The top bantamweight division is currently in limbo, with Peña waiting to face Pennington, who is still recovering from an injury, and Harrison recovering from his own injury while waiting to hear from a matchmaker.
Harrison spoke about the importance of maintaining her diet for the time being, as she hasn't had to get below 145 pounds in years.
“To be honest with you, I had to have surgery after the fight,” Harrison said. “I had to get ligaments repaired in my hand and then I got an infection, so to say I went a little loose on my diet is an understatement. And I can't believe how bad I felt. Thankfully, I'm back on my diet now, but I'm not feeling great and I didn't realize how important that part was to my discipline, especially now.”
“135 isn't easy. It's not a walk in the park. It took me 12 weeks of superhuman focus to get to that weight, and then you have to do it over and over again. So it's going to be a lifestyle change.”
If a Pennington vs. Peña bout were to be scheduled within the next six months, Harrison would like to be on the same card if he were to fight again. At this time, Harrison does not know what plans the UFC has for him.
“It's beyond my pay range,” Harrison said. “I have to talk to Hunter, Sean, Mick and Dana. I know they have good plans for me. I believe in this company and I believe in their vision. If they have to crush one more skull before they crush mine, then I'm in.” [Pennington or Peña’s] The skull is fine.”
