Kayla Harrison submitted Juliana Pena at UFC 316 to reach her goal of becoming UFC World Champion this weekend. The dominant performance was expected, but it was her actions after the fight that I was happy fans got to see.
On Saturday night, they got a firsthand look at the humble individual who is grateful for her position as a world-class athlete holding the coveted title. The one thing I take away from Kayla, both from seeing her at American Top Team (ATT) and post-fight, is that she genuinely wants everyone to win. We are all aware of the charitable work she does (more discussed below with a link), as well as her relationship with her children, but let’s take another peek at why she is great for the sport.
Kayla Signs with the UFC
UFC fans can be insular. They rarely support fighters coming from outside the organization and tend to paint them as a “big bad wolf.” Kayla got caught up in this theme, and she handled it gracefully. She stayed true to herself, didn’t pivot from her competitive demeanor, and stayed humble in the process. In the age of athletes developing personas in MMA to brand themselves, her genuine nature is a breath of fresh air and a shining example of why she is a role model for kids and young adults.
How She Handled Winning the Belt
Immediately after winning the championship belt, she sought out her opponent to share a moment of prayer and well wishes moving forward. As with any big fight, there was a public display of trash talk. This is to be expected with training and microphones constantly in your face while the endorphins are flowing. The embrace was a great show of sportsmanship and respect, as well as calling Amanda Nunes to the cage to give her due before they enter hand-to-hand combat. This is the martial arts we grew up on, and it’s nice to see it’s still alive as Kayla and others like her work to pass it on.
Kayla Harrison as a teammate at American Top Team
Harrison came to ATT as I was transitioning from my fighting career to coaching full-time. She would spar with several of my amateurs, and this was when I learned what an exceptional teammate she was. Often in these situations, big-name fighters would use the juniors as a body for training and forget about them. Kayla was very supportive of their career growth and them as a person. She was always checking in to see how they were doing, when they were competing again, with interest in attending or if they needed a corner. This would light up their day. Personally, as a coach, it leveled up the whole room knowing the athletes had that kind of support from such an accomplished individual. It puts a real positive vibe in the training room and supports the culture. I need to thank her for that.
I recall one time, one of my fighters that had trained with her lost because he was outwrestled in a fight. When Kayla found out, she was less than pleased that he didn’t call her to get extra training for the event. She was vehement that he would get hold of her next time he fought a similar opponent. I could instantly see his spirits were lifted, his body language changed, and he was ready to get back on the horse in training. There is nothing better for an amateur or prospect than to have a fighter you are aspiring to be like have your back like that.
Kayla Harrison is great for the UFC. She’s counter to the brash characteristics of what we’re used to seeing and has a positive influence on fans. Recent stars may exhibit behavior that parents may want their kids to shy away from, but now they have Kayla to take from. As someone who’s had conversation with her in and out of training, I’m happy for both her and Mixed Martial Arts that she is carrying the torch. Her fight with Amanda Nunes is going to be one for the ages, and I am glad they set the tone the way they did after UFC 316. And that face-off!!!
Fearless Foundation
Kayla Harrison “Fearless Foundation” is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing and supporting survivors of child sexual abuse. For my information and to donate to the cause, please click the link below
https://www.fearlessfoundation.org/
