Middletown native, Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison wins UFC championship
Middletown native Kayla Harrison has some new gold to boast about.
Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, became the Ultimate Fighting Championship's bantamweight champion on June 7 after defeating Julianna Peña at UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey.
Kayla Harrison reacts after defeating Julianna Peña (not pictured) in a bantamweight title bout during UFC 316 at the Prudential Center.
Harrison became the first American to win gold in judo in the 2012 London Olympics. In the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro, Harrison won her second gold before transitioning to mixed martial arts training.
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She made her debut for the Professional Fighters League in 2018, going 16-1 in the promotion and twice winning its $1 million tournament before joining the UFC. Harrison's win over Peña was her third in the UFC, giving her a 19-1 professional record. In the final seconds of the second round, Harrison submitted Peña with a kimura hold.
"This belt, more than anything it represents I think indomitable will and who I became during the journey to get this belt and who I am now as a human being," Harrison said after the fight in an interview with UFC's McKenzie Pavacich. "That's really what it is. That's what it represents."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kayla Harrison vs. Julianna Peña: UFC bantamweight championship result
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