By Harry Kettle
– February 1, 2024
Kayla Harrison is feeling confident in her ability to make weight at UFC 300 despite concerns for her health.
At UFC 300, Kayla Harrison will make her official Ultimate Fighting Championship debut. She’ll do so by taking on veteran Holly Holm in a blockbuster bantamweight collision. While this is a great first bout for her, many wonder whether or not she’ll struggle to make 135 pounds.
RELATED: Kayla Harrison signs with UFC, set to debut at UFC 300 against former champion Holly Holm
She’s spent the majority of her career at lightweight, alongside a brief stint at featherweight. Of course, the contest itself has the potential to be explosive, but fans and media members are more interested in what her weight cut will look like.
In a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Harrison addressed these concerns.
This is my column on @KaylaH, who discussed why she signed with the UFC, misconceptions about her weight and her fight with @HollyHolm https://t.co/dO8f3rznh3
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) January 31, 2024
Harrison discusses weight concerns
“There’s a misperception out there that I walk around at like 180 pounds or something,” she asid. “I have walked around most of my MMA career at 165, 160, because 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, I was getting in the cage with girls who were getting in there at 180, 175 pounds. Now, that’s not going to be the case.
“Now, I’m going to be the bigger, strong, faster and, in a lot of cases I believe, the more experienced fighter. It’s a case, I think, that I started off backwards, beginning [at the higher weight] but I was able to be successful because of my pedigree and the skill set that I brought to MMA. But now I have experience and now I am seasoned. The weight [cut] part’s going to suck, but it sucks for everyone and I’m not special.”
Quotes via KevinIole.com
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