Kayla Harrison recently revealed that she faced a challenging health battle, as she was hospitalized for serious infections in the lead-up to her UFC 307 fight.
Harrison secured a significant victory against Ketlen Vieira last weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, as most had anticipated, the triumph was far from straightforward for the two-time Olympic gold medalist, as "Fenomeno" tested her resilience and caused a cut on her forehead during the intense second round.
The former PFL lightweight champion displayed her superiority against Vieira, growing stronger as the fight unfolded and eventually securing a unanimous decision win. However, this marked the first time in her MMA career that the 34-year-old Ohio native truly faced adversity inside the cage.
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It has now come to light that Harrison's performance may have been compromised due to her hospitalization just a week before the fight...
Harrison Shares She Was Taking Antibiotics Ahead Of UFC 307
During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Harrison disclosed that she battled a serious infection that required her to take antibiotics leading up to her fight at UFC 307, which ultimately resulted in her hospitalization.
I don’t really like to make excuses," Harrison said. "I had to go to the hospital last week. There was blood in my urine. I had a really bad infection that started spreading. I was on antibiotics. I had blood in my urine. There was a bunch of stuff going on, but it’s not an excuse. I have to be the best in the world on my worst day.
Harrison further shared that she gained valuable insights about herself and recognized aspects she can incorporate into her training for future fights.
Some of the decisions I made it’s going to be good for me. I ate too much I think after I weighed in. I was just so hungry; I think I overdid it. I felt kind of sick on Saturday because I ate too much. I need to do a better job of staying disciplined even after I weigh in. I need to follow the game plan. There’s a lot of stuff I can improve on.
Harrison has triumphed in both of her Octagon appearances and is actively campaigning for a title shot. In her promotional debut at UFC 300 this past April, she secured a unanimous decision victory in the second round against former champion Holly Holm.