Kayla Harrison Bio
Kayla Jean Harrison (born July 2, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist and former judoka. She currently competes in the women’s Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she is the current UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. She is the first female fighter to win an Olympic gold medal and a UFC championship, and a former two-time Professional Fighters League lightweight champion. As of November 18, 2025, she is ranked #2 in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Trained primarily in judo, Harrison built her career on world-class grappling before transitioning to mixed martial arts in 2018. She represents American Top Team and stands 173 cm tall with a 168 cm reach, fighting from a judo stance. Beyond competition, she is widely recognized for her resilience and her ongoing work as an advocate for survivors of abuse.
Early Life and Background
Kayla Jean Harrison was born in Middletown, Ohio, and raised in the same community. She took up judo at the age of six, introduced to the sport by her mother, who held a black belt. She attended Middletown High School in Ohio, where she balanced her academic life with a demanding judo training schedule.
As a youth athlete, Harrison began training under coach Daniel Doyle and won two national championships by the age of 15. During that period, Doyle was sexually abusing Harrison, who eventually reported the abuse to another judoka, who told her mother. The case was reported to police, and Doyle was convicted and sentenced to a ten-year prison term. A month after the abuse was revealed, Harrison relocated to Boston to train with Jimmy Pedro and his father, beginning a new chapter in her development.
Path to MMA
Following two Olympic gold medals, Harrison announced in October 2016 that she had signed with World Series of Fighting, working initially as a commentator while contracted to compete. She made her professional MMA debut at PFL 2 on June 21, 2018, against Brittney Elkin in the Women’s Lightweight division, winning by first-round armbar submission.
Her early professional record built quickly, with consecutive finishes through the PFL regular season and playoffs. By the end of 2019, she had claimed the PFL Women’s Lightweight Championship, demonstrating the same top-control grappling and ippon-style transitions that had defined her judo career. Her development in striking and cage management was shaped alongside training partners at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, where she continues to be based.
Kayla Harrison Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Harrison’s first two professional bouts came in 2018, with submission of Elkin at PFL 2 and a third-round TKO of Jozette Cotton at PFL 6. She closed the year with a first-round TKO of Moriel Charneski at PFL 11, establishing herself as a fast-rising prospect in the sport. Each finish highlighted her chain wrestling and ability to advance position before securing a finish.
In 2019, she headlined PFL’s regular season against Larissa Pacheco, winning by unanimous decision, then submitted Morgan Frier in the first round at PFL 4. She signed a new long-term contract extension with the PFL and later submitted Bobbi Jo Dalziel in the first round of the playoffs. She capped the year by defeating Pacheco again in the lightweight final at PFL 10, winning the 2019 Women’s Lightweight Championship by unanimous decision.
PFL Championship Run (2021–2022)
After the 2020 PFL season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Harrison fought once outside the promotion, defeating Courtney King by second-round TKO in her Invicta FC debut at Invicta FC 43. She returned to the PFL cage in 2021 with renewed momentum, stopping Mariana Morais in the first round, submitting Cindy Dandois, finishing Genah Fabian in the semifinals, and submitting Taylor Guardado in the lightweight final to claim her second PFL title.
In 2022, she signed with Bellator MMA in March, but PFL exercised its matching right and re-signed her to a deal set to end in December 2023. She defeated Marina Mokhnatkina by unanimous decision and stopped Kaitlin Young in the first round, then submitted Martina Jindrová in the semifinals. In the 2022 lightweight final, she faced Larissa Pacheco for a third time and lost by unanimous decision in the upset of her MMA career.
UFC Era (2024–Present)
On January 23, 2024, Dana White announced the UFC had signed Harrison, and she made her promotional and bantamweight debut against former champion Holly Holm at UFC 300 on April 13, 2024. Harrison submitted Holm with a rear-naked choke in the second round, announcing her arrival in the division. She followed that win with a unanimous decision over Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307 on October 5, 2024.
On June 7, 2025, Harrison faced two-time champion Julianna Peña at UFC 316 for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship, winning by kimura late in the second round to claim the title and a Performance of the Night award. Immediately after the fight, Amanda Nunes entered the octagon to face off with Harrison, setting the stage for their next meeting.
Driving Style and Strengths
Harrison’s MMA style is rooted in her judo base, with elite-level grip fighting, foot sweeps, and top control that she uses to dictate where the fight takes place. She pairs that grappling with steadily improved striking and a patient, positional approach that frustrates opponents and creates late-fight submission openings. Working out of American Top Team, she has refined her cage craft while maintaining the relentless forward pressure that has defined her career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Harrison is the first American to win Olympic gold in judo, claiming titles at London 2012 and Rio 2016, and the first female fighter to hold both Olympic gold and a UFC championship. Her 2019 PFL lightweight title, 2021 PFL lightweight title, and 2025 UFC bantamweight title trace a career that has spanned three major promotions. The June 2025 submission of Julianna Peña and the immediate faceoff with Amanda Nunes marked one of the most dramatic championship moments in recent UFC history.
Kayla Harrison Career Wins
Across her professional MMA career, Harrison has compiled a verified record of 19 wins and 1 loss in 20 total bouts, with finishes split between six by knockout or TKO, eight by submission, and one by decision. Her finishes have come against a mix of decorated grapplers, former champions, and top-ranked contenders, reflecting consistent performance across multiple weight classes and promotions. The lone defeat came against Larissa Pacheco in the 2022 PFL lightweight final, a result she has since rebounded from with a championship run in the UFC.
UFC Highlights
Harrison is unbeaten inside the UFC, with a 3-0 promotional record that includes a second-round submission of Holly Holm at UFC 300, a decision over Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307, and a second-round kimura of Julianna Peña at UFC 316 to win the bantamweight title. Her UFC debut finish announced her as an immediate contender, while the title-clinching submission of Peña established her as champion of the 135-pound division.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Harrison captured PFL Women’s Lightweight Championships in 2019 and 2021, finished opponents in all six of her 2021 bouts, and added a second-round TKO of Courtney King in her lone Invicta FC appearance. She also added a unanimous decision over Aspen Ladd at PFL 10 in November 2023 during her return from a year-long layoff.
Kayla Harrison Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Harrison’s mother was a black belt in judo and introduced her to the sport at age six, shaping the foundation of her athletic career. She has spoken publicly about the role her mother played in removing her from an abusive coaching environment and supporting her move to Boston to train with Jimmy Pedro.
Personal Life
Harrison resides in Coconut Creek, Florida, where she trains at American Top Team. In 2020, she acquired full custody of her niece and nephew after her stepfather, who had custody of the children at the time, died suddenly. She has continued to balance her championship career with family responsibilities.
2025 Season Performance
Harrison’s 2025 campaign was defined by her UFC bantamweight title pursuit and her June 7 victory over Julianna Peña at UFC 316, a second-round kimura that earned her the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship and a Performance of the Night award. The win extended her unbeaten UFC run to 3-0 and elevated her to #2 in the women’s pound-for-pound rankings as of November 18, 2025.
The post-fight faceoff with Amanda Nunes immediately set the direction for the remainder of the year and into 2026, as the promotion lined up a champion-versus-champion clash. Her training base at American Top Team has remained central to her preparation, with continued emphasis on sharpening her striking to complement her elite grappling foundation.
Looking ahead, Harrison is scheduled to defend her bantamweight title against former two-time champion Amanda Nunes on January 24, 2026, at UFC 324. The bout represents the next chapter in her championship reign and one of the most anticipated matchups in women’s MMA.