Julianna Peña definitely interested in UFC fight with ‘big name’ Kayla Harrison down the line

Julianna Peña is laser focused on Raquel Pennington, but has Kayla Harrison in her sights.

[autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] is laser focused on [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag], but has [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] in her sights.

Peña expects to be bantamweight champion Pennington’s first title defense, but a fight is yet to be booked. The other standout name that could be in the running is Harrison, who makes her octagon debut against Holly Holm April 13 at UFC 300.

But Peña (11-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) questions if Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will in peak form, as she attempts to make 135 pounds for the first time in her career.

“Kayla Harrison is fighting a battle right now that she’s got to be able to contend with, and that’s making 135 pounds,” Peña told MMA on Sirius XM. “We know that there’s nobody in the 145-pound division. You can’t name 10 145ers. So first off, let’s just see if she can make it. Second off, let’s see how she performs – because her fights (have been) at 155. She’s already draining and cutting a ton of weight.

“When you cut that much and get down to 135, you’re a shell of yourself at what you were at 145 or even 155. Let’s see how she performs at 135, and let’s see her make that, and then we could talk. But as far as I’m concerned, she was getting a bunch of ‘gimme’ fights at PFL.”

Although Peña doesn’t think former champion Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) is the same fighter now that she’s 42, if Harrison can beat her, she will have Peña’s attention.

“Holly Holm will be a very big test for her, and if she can overcome Holly Holm, then we’ll see,” Peña said. “But absolutely: Kayla’s a big name. She talks a lot of crap, she’s a worthy adversary and that’s definitely a fight I want later on down the line. You bet you.”

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UFC champ Raquel Pennington would take umbrage with Kayla Harrison receiving title shot after one win

As far as Raquel Pennington is concerned, a title shot for Kayla Harrison if she’s victorious at UFC 300 would be unfair.

UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] should have to work her way up to the top.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and PFL champion Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes her octagon debut in a bantamweight bout against former champ Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) on April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas. Considering Harrison’s name and accolades, Pennington (16-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC) won’t be surprised if she was declared No. 1 contender with a win over Holm.

Pennington wouldn’t agree but embraces any challenge.

“In my mind, it’s Julianna Peña,” Pennington told LowKick MMA of her first title defense. “That’s what me and my team are preparing for, and it makes sense. It’s tough because the UFC does business how they want to do business. Obviously, you have Kayla Harrison, who just signed to the UFC. They do have a habit of when someone has a big name, they like to fast-track them. So I wouldn’t be surprised after UFC 300 next month if Kayla wins, if a phone call is a lot different after that fight.

“But we’ll see. For me, I think it’s Julianna. Just from having to grind from the bottom up, never being handed anything, there’s a lot of women in this division who have been busting their ass for years upon years, and they’re wanting opportunities. I do not find it fair. I get the business aspect of it. But I do not find it fair when an athlete comes in and just because they have a big name, they get to skip the line. I’m not opposed to fighting anybody, like scared of anybody. I love the challenges out there.”

Pennington’s journey started on Season 18 of “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2013. She worked her way to a title fight against then-champion Amanda Nunes in May 2018 but was stopped by fifth-round TKO. “Rocky” would then go 6-2 before earning a second shot – a vacant title fight vs. Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297. She won the fight by unanimous decision to become bantamweight champion.

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UFC 300’s Kayla Harrison embracing sacrifices of making 135 pounds ‘come hell or high water’ in debut

Kayla Harrison has been “trusting the process” of cutting to bantamweight for her promotional debut against Holly Holm at UFC 300.

There are plenty of questions surrounding [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]’s promotional debut at UFC 300, but perhaps the most important will be answered before 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 will be the first time in her career to compete at 135 pounds.

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

As a gold medal-winning Olympic judoka in 2012 and 2016, Harrison competed at 172 pounds. After making the switch to MMA in 2018, she ruled the PFL’s lightweight division, winning two tournament championships. Since the UFC did away with its featherweight division, the only option for Harrison to compete was at 135 pounds.

“Well really, bantamweight became a reality, and is going to become a reality on April 12,” Harrison said. “It’s not something I had considered before, but I knew that, again, whatever contract I signed was going to be the last contract. This opportunity arose. I don’t want to look back on my life and say, ‘What if? What if? What if?'”

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Harrison explained that she is fully “trusting the process” of working with multiple nutritionists and coaches to help ensure she will be prepared to step on the scale to hit the bantamweight limit. Part of that process means eliminating all of the comfort foods and sweets, at least until she does her job on the scale.

“Yes, it’s a sacrifice. Yes, it sucks,” Harrison said. “I miss pizza, I miss cookies, I miss brownies, but I do believe that UFC gold will be worth it.”

While the journey to the scale in April will be a daunting one, overall, Harrison is enjoying the days leading up to her UFC debut, as it reminds her of her days competing for gold medals.

“Honestly, it feels like the Olympics all over again,” Harrison said. “There’s a special electricity in the air. Like, I remember walking into the opening ceremony and feeling the heat of the Olympic torch on my face, and being like, ‘Oh no, this is real.’ And that’s how it feels for UFC 300. It’s special, and this is a big show, and I can’t wait.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Kyla Harrison rolls her eyes at mention of Cris Cyborg helping Holly Holm train for UFC 300

If her body language is any indication, it’s safe to say Kayla Harrison is now completely annoyed by Cris Cyborg.

MIAMI – If her body language is any indication, it’s safe to say [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] is now completely annoyed by [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag].

For almost two years, Harrison and Cyborg went back and forth calling each other out for a superfight while they were in PFL and Bellator, respectively. A path to a showdown was paved when PFL acquired Bellator late last year, but those plans changed after Harrison signed with the UFC.

Now Harrison is set to make her promotional debut as a bantamweight against former champion Holly Holm on April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas. With about six weeks until UFC 300, who visited Jackson Wink MMA last month to help Holm with her training?

None other than Cyborg – who beat Holm in a UFC featherweight title fight back in December 2017.

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When asked about this during a UFC 300 Q&A on Friday at Kaseya Center, Harrison immediately rolled her eyes before throwing some shade.

“Who?” Harrison said. “God, she just loves to stir the f*cking pot, doesn’t she? Go home already. Nobody cares.”

With Cyborg clearly in her rearview, Harrison, a two-time PFL lightweight champion and Olympic gold medalist in judo, can’t wait to get this UFC chapter of her career started. And she’s especially thrilled to be facing a “legend” like Holm.

“I don’t use the word ‘legend’ lightly, but I think Holly is very much a legend in the sport,” Harrison said. “(She’s) been in the top 10 for years now, been a former champ. I didn’t come over here to see how I can do and fight amongst everyone. I’m here to come over and win a UFC title and finish my career on top, so Holly’s a good start to that.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Video: Is Kayla Harrison’s first cut to bantamweight cause for concern or much ado about nothing?

Yes, it’s a lot of weight, but everyone could be overreacting to Kayla Harrison’s cut ahead of UFC 300.

Former UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] stated last week that she has some concerns about [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]’s debut at 135 pounds ahead of their showdown at UFC 300 in April.

Harrison has competed mostly as a lightweight in MMA, winning two PFL titles at 155 poiunds, once as a featherweight, and a late-notice fight at a 150-pound catchweight. At 42, Holm knows this is likely her final run at reclaiming UFC gold, but Harrison missing weight as she tries to cut 20 extra pounds for the first time could cause issues.

To be fair, Harrison hasn’t had a check mark go against her in that department, so it remains to be seen how this will play out. But does this fight booking between Harrison and Holm at all seem shaky, or are we comfortable with the matchup? Our “Spinning Back Clique” of Nolan King, Danny Segura and Brian “Goze” Garcia answer that with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

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You can watch their discussion in the video above, and check out the full episode below on YouTube.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Cris Cyborg headed to Albuquerque to help Holly Holm train for Kayla Harrison fight at UFC 300

Cris Cyborg will give Holly Holm a helping hand in her preparation for Kayla Harrison.

[autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] will give [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] a helping hand in her preparation for [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag].

Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) welcomes Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) to the octagon and bantamweight division on April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas. Holm challenged Cyborg for the UFC featherweight title in December 2017, but lost a unanimous decision in a Fight of the Night effort.

With Harrison parting ways with PFL, Bellator featherweight champion Cyborg won’t get her long-desired fight with the two-time Olympic gold medalist. She will however play her part, when she travels to Albuquerque, N.M., to assist Holm.

“I already have a date to go to Albuquerque – I’m very excited,” Cyborg said on her YouTube channel. “I talked to the team, talked to Holly – we’ve been studying Kayla for a little while already. I have been training for her already.  I’m a superfan of Holly Holm. I think she’s a legend. She’s a big example for female fighters. (I’ll) be a part of her camp, and I think she’s going to come with a great victory. It’s going to be good.”

Cyborg (27-2-1) has now turned her attention to Larissa Pacheco (23-4), who defeated Harrison to win her first of back-to-back PFL titles. However, she’s yet to hear anything and her patience is starting to grow thin.

“I had some (Bellator) fights on my contract, and I’d like to make some fights on my contract,” Cyborg said. “I know one (potential fight) is Larissa, but we have to work and see what’s going to happen.”

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Kayla Harrison ahead of UFC 300: Holly Holm ‘the toughest fight in the division for me’

As far as Kayla Harrison is concerned, what better way to kick off her UFC career than a fight with Holly Holm.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] sees [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] as the sternest test in the UFC bantamweight division.

Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes her 135-pound debut against former champion Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) on April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion is happy to be making her UFC debut on a historic event.

“To be going to the Olympics of MMA on UFC 300 against Holly Holm, a legend in the sport, I’m so excited, I’m so amped,” Harrison told TMZ. “This is the sh*t that gets me going, and yeah, I’m ready.”

With a combat sports resume filled with incredible accomplishments, Harrison would love to cap off her storied athletic career with a UFC title. She knows she has her hands full against Holm, who holds two wins over current UFC bantamweight title holder Raquel Pennington, and a legendary head-kick knockout of Ronda Rousey, among other career highlights.

“There’s one last mountain to climb, and that’s UFC gold,” Harrison said. “That’s what I’m coming for. That’s what my goal is. Holly Holm is a step to that. … I think that Holly is the toughest fight in the division for me. First of all, her boxing pedigree. Her record – she’s fought all of the best girls.

“She’s always in the mix, she’s always at the top, she’s been around the sport for a long time, she’s a super veteran, she knows what she’s doing, she’s a former champion, and she’s an MMA fighter. Her grappling has gotten a lot better. You know her footwork is top notch. Her fight IQ is through the roof. She is f*cking good. She’s one of the greats.”

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Kayla Harrison addresses concerns over bantamweight cut for UFC 300: ‘I’m not saying it’s going to be easy’

Kayla Harrison is aware that her cut to bantamweight is going to take some work.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] is aware that her cut to bantamweight is going to take some work.

Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes her 135-pound debut against former champion Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) on April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas.

Two-time PFL winner Harrison has predominantly competed at lightweight throughout her career, but dismissed the notion that she competed with a big size advantage. But cutting down to bantamweight will give her that.

“There’s a misperception out there that I walk around at like 180 pounds or something,” Harrison told Kevin Iole. “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, stronger, 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.”

Harrison is confident she will make the weight. She has already tested the process out successfully, even though it wasn’t easy.

“I wouldn’t have made the move if I didn’t think I was going to be able to do it,” Harrison said. “We did a test cut. Everything was measured, from my heart rate to my blood pressure to my blood sugar. We did a test recovery. We did a test simulated fight. Everything has been dialed in and everything has been tested. I’m really confident in my team and I’m really confident in myself. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but the things in life that are worth having are usually not easy (to obtain).”

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Fresh Ink: Meet the 3 fighters the UFC signed in January 2024

Find out who joined the UFC in January and learn more about them here.

The UFC roster is bigger than ever – and it continues to expand.

Fresh faces appear on nearly every card, whether onboarded as short-notice opening fillers, “Dana White’s Contender Series” signees, or rare straight-up additions. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of the hustle and bustle of the mixed martial arts news beat, but here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got you covered.

“Fresh Ink” is your list of fighters added to the UFC roster the previous month and provides background on who they are and where they came from.

Check out the January 2024 list below.

Raquel Pennington expects Kayla Harrison to be exposed in UFC: ‘She hasn’t truly been challenged’

Raquel Pennington expects Kayla Harrison to have a rough debut vs. Holly Holm at UFC 300 and beyond.

[autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag] expects a rough UFC debut for [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag].

Two-time PFL lightweight champion Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes her bantamweight debut against former champion Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) on April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas.

Like many others, Pennington wonders how the first-time cut to 136 pounds will impact Harrison. But the reigning UFC bantamweight champion isn’t sure if Harrison will be able to hang with elite-level competition in the UFC.

“I was wondering if she was ever going to sign with the UFC,” Pennington said on Sirius XM’s “Unlocking the Cage.” “There’s been a lot of talk throughout the years, but she’s been successful in PFL. My biggest question honestly is how is she going to make the weight? She’s a very dense chick. There’s no denying that.

“I feel like, as far as coming into the UFC, a lot of athletes haven’t truly been challenged, and I feel like she hasn’t truly been challenged in the PFL. To now come in and have this platform, that’s going to give her a run for her money for sure. She has a huge hype following her, but I think she’s going to be exposed a little bit. First and foremost, the hardest part of this is making the weight.”

Pennington, who’s lost to Holm twice, believes the former champion has lost a step. But if Holm can keep the fight with two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka Harrison standing, Pennington pictures a bad night for Harrison.

“I feel like Holly is at a point in her career where she’s older, and I don’t mean that in any bad way, but things get tough when you get older as an athlete,” Pennington said. “It takes a different toll on your body and stuff, and she’s been around for a very long time.

“I feel like her last few fights, she hasn’t had that ‘it’ anymore. She’s been battling different injuries and stuff, and it just feels like she’s on her way out. But I feel like if Holly actually brings back the Holly that first came into the UFC and strikes with Kayla, it’s not going to go Kayla’s direction at all.”

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