'for Anyone Who's Felt Hopeless' - Harrison Wins Ufc Title

Kayla Harrison put successful a ascendant capacity arsenic she submitted Julianna Pena to triumph nan bantamweight title astatine UFC 316 successful Newark, New Jersey.

Harrison out-grappled chap American Pena and controlled nan action passim earlier finishing nan conflict pinch a kimura astatine nan extremity of nan 2nd round.

Victory adds a first UFC title to her 2 Olympic judo golden medals and PFL world titles.

In her post-fight interview, Harrison said she almost discontinue connected Thursday aft struggling during her weight cut.

The 34-year-old's 2 PFL titles, successful 2021 and 2022, were won astatine 155lb (11st 1lb) but she has fought astatine 135lb (9st 9lb) since joining nan UFC past year.

"This is for anyone who's ever felt hopeless, who's wanted to quit, who's wanted to springiness up. On Thursday I wanted to quit, I wanted to springiness up," said Harrison.

"I'm referring to 135lb - only God tin get that past lb disconnected me, I'm not beardown enough. You person to spell to a bad spot and nan only measurement done is to person surrender and person faith."

After nan bout Harrison faced-off pinch erstwhile double champion Amanda Nunes, who confirmed she would beryllium coming retired of status to situation for nan belt.

The 37-year-old Brazilian, who retired successful 2023, is simply a erstwhile training partner of Harrison and is wide considered nan top women's mixed martial creator of each time.

She is nan only female to go a two-division UFC champion and exited nan athletics pinch 23 wins from 28 bouts.

UFC commentator Joe Rogan described a imaginable match-up pinch Harrison arsenic "the biggest women's title bout successful UFC history".

"Yes definitely. We knew this is going to happen. Now we're going to do it," said Nunes.

Harrison said earlier nan bout she was fresh to go nan "face of women's MMA" and came into nan bout pinch Pena arsenic a large favourite pinch oddsmakers.

Pena, meanwhile, was making nan first defence of her 2nd bantamweight title aft beating Raquel Pennington by divided determination successful October.

Harrison's world-class judo inheritance has been nan instauration to her occurrence since transitioning to MMA successful 2018 and it was connected show arsenic she took Pena down successful some rounds.

Harrison controlled nan action connected nan crushed successful nan second half of nan first, Pena being deducted a constituent for 2 forbidden up-kicks, earlier securing different takedown successful nan second.

After Pena avoided an limb triangle, Harrison switched to a kimura pinch seconds remaining successful nan information earlier securing nan finish.

Following victory, Harrison dropped to her knees successful tears successful nan centre of nan octagon earlier sharing a dream pinch Pena and paying tribute to azygous mothers.

In 2020, Harrison adopted her niece and nephew erstwhile her stepdad, who was looking aft nan children astatine nan time, died suddenly.

"This is for my family, my 2 beautiful children I emotion you unconditionally," said Harrison.

"This is for each nan mums, particularly nan azygous mums. I cognize it's hard, I cognize what it feels for illustration to beryllium punished but you're not - you're being positioned. You person a spot successful those children's lives."

In nan main event, Georgia's Merab Dvalishvili submitted American Sean O'Malley successful nan 3rd information to clasp his bantamweight title.

Dvalishvili hit O'Malley for nan loop past twelvemonth pinch a typically relentless show of grappling and mirrored nan capacity successful nan rematch.

Although O'Malley defended good successful nan 2nd round, he was taken down early successful nan 3rd and Dvalishvili ne'er looked back, controlling nan action connected nan crushed earlier securing a north-south choke.

Victory was Dvalishvili's 2nd defence of his loop and extended his winning streak to 13, nan second-longest successful nan UFC among progressive fighters.

Russia's Islam Makhachev holds nan longest pinch 15.

"I'm connected apical of nan world. I came from nothing, I'm truthful grateful to animate truthful galore generations. It doesn't matter what you person if you cognize wherever you're going and you person a goal," said Dvalishvili.

On nan undercard, erstwhile Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix suffered a unanimous determination conclusion connected his UFC debut by chap American Mario Bautista.

Mix, who near nan PFL successful May aft venting frustrations complete a deficiency of fights, suffered his 2nd conclusion successful 22 bouts while Bautista extended his winning streak to eight.