Kayla Harrison wants to forge her own path in the UFC despite comparisons to Ronda Rousey.
Accomplished MMA fighter Harrison will make her debut at UFC 300 this weekend as she takes on Holly Holm in a huge showdown in Las Vegaspfl after making the switch from PFL (Professional Fighters League).
Harrison comes with high expectations having suffered just one defeat to her name, which has seen her naturally compared to UFC legend ‘Rowdy’.
The judoka practitioner has now responded to those claims, insisting she would not be in MMA without the influence of Rousey.
“Look, Ronda is a pioneer in this sport,” Harrison admitted during UFC 300 media day. “She’s the whole reason I’m sitting here today.
“I’m not going to take knocks at her or be insulted by it. I think the hardest part is that I’m my own person.
“I’m my own person. We’re just different, but I have a lot of respect for her, and I’m grateful for everything she was able to accomplish in this sport and to help grow it for women and shatter ceilings.
“Now, my job is to stand on top of her shoulders and continue to do that. I’m not comparing myself to anyone or anything. I’m my own person.
“I have my own path. I just try to keep walking it every day, one foot in front of the other. Of course, everyone wants to be a star. The goal is not to be a star.
“The goal is to be UFC champion and be so f****** good, you can’t ignore me, and then to use this platform to change the world how I want to.”
The comparisons surfaced after Harrison’s manager Ali Abdelaziz insisted that she was a new version of Rousey.
Rousey had a phenomenal career in the promotion, having reigned as the UFC’s inaugural bantamweight champion at the height of her dominance.
She also came from a judo background, having won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.
Harrison has shared even more success at Olympic level, taking home gold at the London 2012 Games and Rio 2016 Games.
She reigned as PFL lightweight champion and has even already been inducted into the International Sports Hall Of Fame.
The 33-year-old will be eager to not get too carried away, but will be hoping to emulate the early success of Rousey.
Raquel Pennington currently holds the crown, and a win over Holm could immediately push her into the top five of the rankings, with a title shot likely to be on offer very early on.
News Summary:
- Kayla Harrison addresses Ronda Rousey comparisons ahead of UFC 300 debut
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