Kayla Harrison is no stranger to high pressure situations but what comes along with being a UFC champion has proven to be quite intensive according to the decorated martial artist. Speaking to Danny Segura of MMA Junkie, Harrison spoke about what life has been like as the UFC bantamweight champion after finishing Julianna Pena at UFC 316 in June.
Kayla Harrison has captured PFL championships as well as a pair of Olympic gold medals in Judo prior to this UFC title winning effort. But the latter accomplishment is a different kettle of fish in terms of the residual attention that she has been getting as a result of accomplishing that.
Expounding upon what life has been like since cementing herself as a titleholder in the UFC, Harrison said,
"It's been different. I will say that. One of the things I've been super blessed to have had success in other areas and arenas of my life. So, I kind of had an idea, but winning Olympic gold medal in judo in the United States is like, I don't know, like 12 people who saw it."
"So having this kind of success on such a huge platform nationally and globally has been... I'm overwhelmed and I feel like I've got a good head on my shoulders but I'm still in a bad way... I have 170 some unread text messages and I'm so overwhelmed by it that I'll answer 10 and then throw my phone and be like, 'Alright, I got to get away from it. It's just more. There's more.' Which is great, beautiful, fantastic."
Kayla Harrison "living out my dream" "I'm still just Kayla"
All of that being said, there is still a groundedness in how the accomplished combat athlete lives her life as Kayla Harrison continued to say,
"Like I'm literally living out my dream and I have to stop and remember to be present, smell the roses, and realize that maybe to other people things have changed but nothing has changed for me. I'm not done and I'm still just Kayla. I'm still a mom."