Kayla Harrison respects Ronda Rousey. She just doesn’t think Rousey would beat her.
The UFC women’s bantamweight champion was asked on Deep Waters how a fight with a prime Rousey would go. Harrison had left Rousey off her women’s MMA Mount Rushmore before walking it back.
We learned the armbar at the same gym together. You think she’s going to armbar me? Don’t be disrespectful now.
She did (so much), but dominating women who picked up gloves three years ago at a cardio-kickboxing class and said, ‘I think I’m going to try this.’ She paved the way. I’m standing on her shoulders, and for that, I am grateful.
Rousey beat a 15-year-old Harrison twice in judo. Rousey went on to win Olympic bronze in 2008. Harrison won Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016.
Harrison laid out the difference in their judo resumes.
I don’t want to sound cocky; I’m not. … So, Ronda has an Olympic bronze medal, a world silver medal, and she won a world cup and medaled at some grand prix.
I have won every single world cup, every single grand prix, every single grand slam. I won the world masters twice. I won the world championships and took three bronze medals, and I won the Olympics twice. So, of course I thought I could do it because anything she can do, I can do better.
Harrison (19-1) makes her first title defense against Amanda Nunes in the UFC 334 co-main event on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden. The fight was pushed back from January after Harrison suffered a neck injury.
