Kayla Harrison acknowledges that her cut down to bantamweight takes a toll on her body.
Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) challenges bantamweight champion Julianna Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the UFC 316 co-main event June 7 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Former UFC title challenger Megan Anderson told MMA Fighting she doesn’t see Harrison having a long run at 135 pounds due to the strenuous weight cut. The two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka and two-time PFL champion didn’t sugar coat the process after admitting to peeing blood one week prior to her most recent outing at UFC 307.
“It’s torture,” Harrison said of the weight cut on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “But, everything I’ve wanted is on the other side of that torture. I feel like I become refined in the fire. It’s a very lonely process. It’s a much harder mental grind than I think expected.
“First, it was like this fear of, ‘Oh my gosh, can I do this?’ And now, it’s this fear of, ‘Oh my gosh, I know what I have to do in order to do this.’ It’s definitely not healthy. Don’t do this, kids. I do not recommend. My team is so dialed in, and I know what I have to do. It’s not easy, but I do believe in the end it will be worth it, and we do it in as healthy and safe of a manner as possible.”
Harrison competed at lightweight during her time at PFL. She successfully cut down to featherweight in a one-off fight for Invicta FC in 2020, and competed in a 150-pound catchweight bout right before signing with the UFC.
Since joining the UFC roster in 2024, Harrison has hit 136 pounds twice in wins over Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira. She will have to go down to her lowest-ever weight when she’s tasked to make the 135-pound championship limit against Peña at UFC 316.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.
