Two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka Kayla Harrison made her long-awaited UFC debut on the prelims of UFC 300 and quickly showed her skills. Harrison dominated former bantamweight champion Holly Holm before scoring a rear-naked choke to finish the fight in the second round.
Harrison went for an early throw, but Holm was able to reverse and end up in top position. Harrison was able to easily get back to her feet only to end up on top moments later. Holm was helpless from underneath Harrison, absorbing big punches and elbows but managing to survive the opening frame.
Knowing she couldn't allow Harrison to get inside again, Holm tried to box to start Round 2, but it was only a matter of time before Harrison got inside, first partially landing a head kick and then landing a nice throw from the clinch. On the ground once again, Harrison was unwilling to let the fight go any further, taking Holm's back and locking in the fight-finishing rear-naked choke at the 1:47 mark of Round 2.
KAYLA HARRISON SUBMITS HOLLY HOLM IN HER UFC DEBUT 💪 #UFC300 pic.twitter.com/jacFUoitEv
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 14, 2024
MMA fans had long wanted to see Harrison test herself inside the UFC Octagon, but the majority of her career in PFL was spent at lightweight, a division the UFC has never had available for women. Harrison had once cut to featherweight but was forced to go even further to make the 135-pound limit for her UFC debut. This led to concerns that Harrison, who was able to successfully make weight on Friday, would be compromised come fight night. That proved to not be the case.
Harrison, who is now 17-1 in her MMA career, made it clear that she intends on holding UFC gold in the near future.
"I want my title next, Joe," Harrison told Joe Rogan during her post-fight interview. "That's what I came over here for. One thing and one thing only. By the end of the year, I will be UFC champion."
