Holly Holm and Kayla Harrison at UFC 300 ceremonial weigh-in Credit: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press
One of the biggest free agent signings in UFC history arrived in the Octagon as part of Saturday’s monumental UFC 300, as Kayla Harrison took on former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm.
For anyone wondering what Harrison means to the UFC, that’s no exaggeration. Harrison is literally the most decorated fighter the UFC has ever signed, a two-time gold medalist in judo and then a two-time champion in another major promotion. In comparison, the only gold medal winners in UFC history are Henry Cejudo and, going much further back, Mark Schultz of UFC 9 and four-time UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Jackson.
Harrison is already better than anyone other than Cejudo, at least as a professional mixed martial artist. If she survives Saturday’s contest with a victory for Holm, she will almost certainly be key to the title.
The fight started with a jab from Harrison. She felt it in her feet. When she moved on Holm, she clinched and Harrison performed a judo throw. The force was so great that Holm turned around and stood up. Still in the clinch, Holm went for a takedown, but Harrison’s base was too strong and she went on top.
Harrison was comfortable and was already landing heavy ground and pound. Harrison had wrist control and was using it to land heavy shots on Holm. She was finally able to use her elbow (which was banned in the PFL season) and she made Holm feel it. As Harrison continues to pound away, Holm pushes his head against the cage. Holm survived, but never got off his back.
In the second round, Holm used her footwork well at first. Harrison sliced through the cage with a head kick and ran into a front headlock. She didn’t get it, but she got an outtrip takedown to the back. Her neck was exposed, but Harrison quickly snatched her neck to get the water supply.
From an incredible debut @kaylah 💪 pic.twitter.com/eiVKByzxm2
— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2024
Harrison told Joe Rogan that whether it’s Raquel Pennington or Juliana Pena, he will be champion by the end of the year.
Official results: Kayla Harrison def. Holly Holm, submission (rear naked choke), round 2, 1:47
