Kayla Harrison embracing sacrifices of making 135 pounds at UFC 300

There are many questions surrounding Kayla Harrison’s promotional debut at UFC 300, however maybe an important will probably be answered earlier than she steps into the octagon.

Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will face former bantamweight champion Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) in her debut on April 13, which would be the first time in her profession to compete at 135 kilos.

“Do I look OK? I look in form?” Harrison responded when requested about making bantamweight at a Q&A session earlier than the UFC 299 ceremonial weigh-ins. “I’m coming for a UFC title, so f*cking come hell or excessive water, 135, right here I come.”

As a gold medal-winning Olympic judoka in 2012 and 2016, Harrison competed at 172 kilos. After making the swap to MMA in 2018, she dominated the PFL’s light-weight division, successful two match championships. For the reason that UFC did away with its featherweight division, the one possibility for Harrison to compete was at 135 kilos.

“Properly actually, bantamweight grew to become a actuality, and goes to grow to be a actuality on April 12,” Harrison stated. “It’s not one thing I had thought-about earlier than, however I knew that, once more, no matter contract I signed was going to be the final contract. This chance arose. I don’t need to look again on my life and say, ‘What if? What if? What if?’”

Harrison defined that she is totally “trusting the method” of working with a number of nutritionists and coaches to assist guarantee she will probably be ready to step on the dimensions to hit the bantamweight restrict. A part of that course of means eliminating the entire consolation meals and sweets, at the least till she does her job on the dimensions.

“Sure, it’s a sacrifice. Sure, it sucks,” Harrison stated. “I miss pizza, I miss cookies, I miss brownies, however I do imagine that UFC gold will probably be price it.”

Whereas the journey to the dimensions in April will probably be a frightening one, general, Harrison is having fun with the times main as much as her UFC debut, because it reminds her of her days competing for gold medals.

“Actually, it feels just like the Olympics yet again,” Harrison stated. “There’s a particular electrical energy within the air. Like, I keep in mind strolling into the opening ceremony and feeling the warmth of the Olympic torch on my face, and being like, ‘Oh no, that is actual.’ And that’s the way it feels for UFC 300. It’s particular, and it is a huge present, and I can’t wait.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 300.