There's a very good possibility Kayla Harrison will be a bust

[Human Bass]

I'm a Kayla fan and thought she looked pretty good in the PFL but her losing handily to Larissa Pacheco of all people makes me question her UFC run.

Holly probably won't be much of a litmus test. She's 42 years, trades wins and losses and doesn't have anything off her back. I like Holly but her scared style of fighting and pillow fists aren't going to be much of an issue for Kayla. If she can't beat Holly, she won't go far.

One of the main issues she had against Pacheco was the lackluster gnp because shitty PFL doesnt allow elbows

 

[ChickenBrother]

That's not true at all. You're making assumptions. I like Kayla, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna ignore reality. She has been fighting smaller opponents. That's just objectively true, regardless of how you feel about her. Her greatest adversary is a former bantamweight who got cut from the UFC.



No. Absolutely not. 172 is shit compared to the lighter weight classes for obvious reasons. This holds true across all martial arts.



Impressive no doubt. But its still the reality that she completed in a weaker talent pool than both men's Judo and the lighter female weight classes.

If she's cutting down to 135, she's not going to have the strength advantage that she did in the PFL where they held tournaments exclusively to showcase her against featherweights and bantamweights. You can be a Kayla fan and acknowledge that.

Not sure what you're arguing dude. 172 is women's LHW in Judo right under HW unlimited. No shit women's 172 lbs in Judo is not as deep as lighter women's classes or men's divisions. So it's a good thing we're not talking about Harrison fighting an elite male judoka or an elite female judoka coming up from a lighter weight class. We're talking about her fighting WMMA at 135 lbs which has a talent pool orders of magnitude less deep than any division of women's Judo globally.

Harrison competed at 172 lbs and probably walked around close to that weight. Judoka typically have same day weigh ins and even when weigh ins are day ahead, they have to be within 5% on day of. It's not like MMA where fighters cut a metric fuck ton and then have 36 hours to regain 20+ lbs before competing. Harrison said she cut from around 160-165 lbs when she started with the PFL and that makes her a FLW. She's about the same size as Cyborg. I'm looking at this as a 145er cutting down to 135 which honestly could go either way.

I'm not even a huge Harrison fan, I'm just aware of her pedigree and have followed her since coming over to MMA with the same interest I had for guys like Jacare, Cejudo or Aaron Pico. Any repeat world champ or medalist in another combat sport coming over to MMA has my interest. Off the top of my head, Harrison is the only double Olympic gold medalist in any combat sport who has competed in MMA, other than Karelin's worked match over in Japan where the competition is a little easier.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

i think it's less about Kayla and more about Holly being old as fuck and the division not having many special fighters anymore. maybe the weight cut is too much, but i doubt Holly Holm or the majority of the division is too much for her.

 

[Native7]

Cyborg is a diva and is notoriously hard to work with. No major org wants nothing to with her

She has earned that right.
Multiple champ status.

Besides, there's much bigger divas with less credentials than her.

 

[abject]

Meh she dominated everyone until she came up against someone from the Planet Lesbia. They have certain gifts that regular women dont have.

 

[OleBuffalo]

I’d rather see Pacheco cross over

 

[RonDante]

I agree. She has lost in PFL before. I do believe that the time is right for her with Amanda Nunes gone to try to make a run for it. Her strong Nordic figure should give her an advantage.

1 loss in the PFL is like 3 in the UFC

 

[Vampire life]

I know she's an Olympian but her accomplishments in Judo were in an very weak division. And her MMA competition has been against smaller girls fighting up to accommodate her.

Women's bantamweight isn't a good division by any means but it's better than the one she's been competing in by a significant margin. And if she's actually getting into shape to make 135 she's giving up that size advantage. Holly knows how to deal with judo and has a much improved clinch game since she fought Ronda. Even at 42, she's a dangerous matchup.

One thing Kayla has over Ronda is defensively she is much better. I doubt she runs into a headkick. But her striking is still pretty rudimentary.

I agree

She’s a one trick pony imo

 

[Vampire life]

Harrison doesn't really need to rely on her judo in MMA. Her style is nothing like Ronda's. She doesn't have the clean grappling and she can't fight off her back like Ronda. She is more of a wrestler in MMA. She will be testing Holm's single and double leg takedown defense more. On the ground it would be mainly positions to punch first. She doesn't really look for the sub unless it is there.

I believe the loss in the PFL was a fluke. She showed up soft against a girl she already beat twice. The fight was also very close since Harrison gassed. It's not some blowout. This fight will be one of her biggest tests since Holm is very experienced.

I’ve never seen Rousey fight off of her back

You got a vid of that?

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

She said in instagram she would have no problem making weight so we will see

 

[melvinj0]

She’s good, but she is facing probably the hardest match up for her in the UFC in his first fight. Holly is good at defending takedowns and making people pay for it.

But the good with that is also if Kayla can beat her convincingly it is a good indication that we have a new dominant female champion, which would be fun.

 

[melvinj0]

I’ve never seen Rousey fight off of her back

You got a vid of that?

The closest I can think is when she was on the bottom against Carmouch, I cannot remember if she was fully on her back, she survived but didn’t handle it super well.

 

[13Seconds]

She has earned that right.
Multiple champ status.

Besides, there's much bigger divas with less credentials than her.

What right? Right to have a terrible attitude? She lost out on ALOT of money because of "that right".

I guess you're one of those people who holds celebrities on a piedestal. A typical yes man lol.

Last question, who are these bigger divas? Genuine question.

 

[NoSmilez]

I’ve never seen Rousey fight off of her back

You got a vid of that?

 

[don't ask]

I think she cleans up very well. There's only so much you can do with those Viking genes though:

 

[Native7]

What right? Right to have a terrible attitude? She lost out on ALOT of money because of "that right".

I guess you're one of those people who holds celebrities on a piedestal. A typical yes man lol.

Last question, who are these bigger divas? Genuine question.

You're pulling shit out of your ass now.

Every promotion outside of UFC/Dana has openly praised Cyborg.

Bald goof fumbled another bag. Now ufc fans are stuck with true thot divas or butch boring fighters.

 

[don't ask]

Meh she dominated everyone until she came up against someone from the Planet Lesbia. They have certain gifts that regular women dont have.

...you do know she has two previous victories over Pacheco, right?

 

[markantony20]

You know honestly I hope not. WBW is so sparse rn that any decent talent is welcome.

 

[samuelsoncast]

She came to the UFC knowing full well her million dollar walk through is a thing of the past and Cyborg wanted her too.

That said, I do actually like Kayla.

 

[Eater of Souls]

The closest I can think is when she was on the bottom against Carmouch, I cannot remember if she was fully on her back, she survived but didn’t handle it super well.

Second round vs Maia. Most of the round, Maia took the round. It was the first round she lost at 125.

Rousey was also on her back briefly in one of her very early fights (first four @ 145) but she quickly secured an arm bar.