Two-time Olympic judo champion Kayla Harrison skilled a considerably bearable, however alarming well being challenge lengthy earlier than her UFC showdown in opposition to Ketlen Vieira. Before her candy victory got here up, she had been present process fairly a thriller.
Heading into her UFC 307 win, the MMA star, fought onerous within the bantamweight division, securing a spot as primary contender for Julianna Pena’s title regardless of a tricky week.
Health Issues Before the Fight
Perhaps it was a little bit of a post-fight bombshell when Harrison admitted that she was “pee-in blood” throughout the week main as much as the combat. The well being scare added to her justifiable efficiency at par, BBC studies.
Taking the combat nonetheless, Harrison received through factors over Vieira. The UFC knew that she went to hospital throughout the run-up to the bout however Harrison by no means elaborated a lot on what the well being challenge was.
“I need to take a little bit of time off just because of the weight cut and the process that it is for my body. I’m just not built to weigh 135lb. Anytime I get under the 150s, it’s not pleasant,” Harrison advised TMZ.
“The first time [I fought in the UFC] was [the] fear of, like, ‘Can I do it? This time it was fear of, like, ‘Oh God, I have to do it’. The anticipation. But I’m blessed. I have such a good team,” she added.
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Transition to UFC and Bantamweight Division
Harrison, 34, has been merely irresistible within the light-weight division at 155 lbs PFL. Since shifting to the UFC this 12 months although, she has dropped to 135-lb bantamweight, the place she continues to be doing very properly. Her win in opposition to Vieira will certainly catapult her to new heights throughout the UFC ranks.
She entered the UFC after submitting former champion Holly Holm in her debut, and thus, she is certainly an elite grappler. She’s now on a two-fight win streak and can knock on the title-shot door.
The Road to a Title Shot
With her newest victory, Harrison has propelled herself into place because the first-line challenger to Julianna Pena’s bantamweight title. But on Saturday, nevertheless, UFC 307 noticed Pena gather a cut up determination over Raquel Pennington to retain her championship. Instead of stepping ahead to problem Harrison, although, Pena centered her consideration elsewhere: on the retired champion Amanda Nunes, and retaining murmurs of a possible showdown alive.
As Harrison waits for her title shot, she continues to be on a quest to trace each element within the UFC and conquer all obstacles that come her means. Despite well being setbacks, she continues to show why she is taken into account one of many high fighters on this division.
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