‘She’s on death’s door’ – Fans raise concerns for Kayla Harrison’s health as she steps on the scales after gruelling weight cut for UFC 300 clash with Holly Holm

Kayla Harrison looked extremely drained on the scales ahead of her UFC debut.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist judoka takes on Holly Holm this weekend on the stacked UFC 300 card at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.

Much of the intrigue surrounding the fight centred around whether Harrison, who has spent the bulk of her career at lightweight, could make weight for her maiden appearance at bantamweight.

Those questions were answered on Friday afternoon when Harrison, like a true professional, weighed in at the 136lb bantamweight weight limit.

However, her gaunt appearance was cause for concern among UFC fans.

One fan wrote: “Looks like she’s on deaths door. Jesus.”

Another tweeted: “Not looking ok.”

A third added: “Oh boy, looking a little rough.”

Despite the gruelling weight cut, Harrison seemed in good spirits yesterday as she spoke to the press.

“My weight is good,” she assured assembled media. “Everything is dialed in. I have a superb team behind me.

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“Eric Peña, the UFC PI has been helping out, my chef and nutritionist Dara has been making ridiculously delicious meals. I’ve been disciplined and dedicated, and it’s going to show…

“I’m already having fun. The hay is in the barn, the work is done. I get to do this.

“This is a thing that I chose to do. I’m not sitting behind a desk. I’m not a nurse, a doctor, I’m not a lawyer.

“This is my job. I’m a fighter and this is what I chose to do, and I’m very blessed to do it – even the sh*tty parts.”

Harrison has long been considered one of the hottest commodities in women’s MMA.

But up until this year she plied her trade away from the UFC.

Her entire 17-fight MMA career (16-1) had been spent with promotional rival, PFL, where she won the organisation’s 2019 and 2021 lightweight tournaments.

However, in January, she finally put pen to paper on a long-term deal with the UFC after entering into free agency at the back end of last year.