Kayla Harrison has all the makings of an MMA star — and her journey starts Thursday at PFL 2.
One would imagine that, as a two-time gold medalist in Judo at the Olympic Games, PFL 2’s Kayla Harrison knows a thing or two about nerves. Securing the highest honor at the games in 2012 and 2016 in the 78kg class, Harrison has been a judo star since a young age — much like her former training partner, Ronda Rousey. Surprisingly, however, her debut this Thursday as part of the PFL 2018 season’s second event is coming with a few butterflies. Speaking to the media following Tuesday’s open workouts ahead of the big night, Harrison addressed the nervousness she’s feeling ahead of stepping into the cage for the first time.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything new,” Harrison explained following Tuesday’s open workout session in Chicago. “My first judo match I was six years old
“I don’t remember being this nervous since I was 18, at the judo worlds,” she later admitted, before adding that “I ended up winning, so maybe nerves are good for me.”
“I tend to thrive under that pressure” she finished, saying she was looking forward to seeing how she handled her new endeavor.
Good or not, a lot of eyes will be on Harrison come Thursday. She’ll have a full of year training under her belt when she does step into the cage, something that happily coincided with the launch of the PFL season. And while the inevitable comparisons to her former training partner Ronda Rousey will be made, she doesn’t sweat it. In fact, she sees Rousey as positive motivation.
“Ronda’s always going to be that little rabbit in front of me” Harrison said. “She was the superstar, she was the golden girl, she was the one everyone was watching. Every day, I said to myself ‘I’m going to beat her someday, I’m going to be better than her, anything she can do, I can do better.'”
“It’s positive motivation for me,” the judoka stated. “It’s healthy. I think it’s always healthy to have something to chase.”
Now, Kayla Harrison has Amanda [Nunes] and Joanna [Jedrzejczyk] for motivation of course. Though, being up a weight class or several from those two (depending on which) and in another promotion, she’s unlikely to ever face off with either. Plus, she trains with the pair over at American Top Team. In any case, Harrison has a shot to become the face of the higher weight classes for women. Just two pounds over women’s lightweight limit, Harrison was in good position to make weight for her bout against opponent Brittney Elkin.
How she fares remains to be seen, but if she even comes close to the success of Rousey, she’ll be an MMA star in no time.
Be sure to check the full press scrum with Kayla Harrison above. PFL 2 takes place Thursday, June 21 at the Chicago Theater in Chicago, IL.
