"I was hopeless and helpless" - When Kayla Harrison opened up about feeling suicidal as a teenager ahead of UFC 300 mega debut
UFC bantamweight star Kayla Harrison's life has been intertwined with competition from a young age, having already won two national judo championships by age 15. However, her path to success was far from easy, as she faced overwhelming personal struggles throughout her journey.
Coming from a troubled family where her father committed suicide and her sister battled addiction, Harrison endured emotional hardships that nearly pushed her to the brink. She candidly revealed that she felt "hopeless" and "helpless" at times even contemplating suicide during her darkest moments.
In an interview with TNT Sports ahead of her highly anticipated UFC 300 debut, Harrison opened up about how her past shaped her into the resilient fighter and the person she is today. Speaking about her struggles, Harrison said:
“There were points when I was a teenager where I wanted to die, I did not want to be on this earth anymore. I don’t take this for granted, I look back at my life and I was hopeless and helpless and couldn't see a path out of it.”
Harrison, a single mother to her adopted niece and nephew, added that her success in the cage pales in comparison to the fulfillment she finds in her personal life. She added:
"I have two beautiful, healthy children, a beautiful home, a place for them to grow and be safe. I have amazing friends, and a support group, a team, who love me for me. If I never fought again, they would still be in my life."
Check out Kayla Harrison's candid reflection on her journey below (4:00):
Daniel Cormier weighs in on Julianna Pena's decision to not call out Kayla Harrison
Daniel Cormier expressed disappointment in Julianna Pena after her UFC 307 victory against Raquel Pennington for missing an opportunity to build momentum for her next title defense.
Instead of focusing on Kayla Harrison, who picked up a unanimous decision win over Ketlen Vieira, Pena called for a trilogy fight against Amanda Nunes, who has been retired since June 2023.
Cormier felt Pena should have acknowledged Harrison, considering that the fight between the pair is seemingly inevitable. Speaking about Pena's decision to call out Nunes on his YouTube channel, Cormier said:
“Don’t wait until the fight is announced. Now you’re a step behind when you had the opportunity to be a step ahead going into your fight with Kayla Harrison, who will be the No. 1 contender for your championship as we go forward. Tonight, it’s not like Kayla Harrison looked the best.
"Kayla’s looked better. Tonight she looked like a girl that needs to get takedowns and if she doesn’t, she is still in the very early stages of her striking. Julianna Pena should’ve after this performance been more willing to say her name."
Check out Daniel Cormier's comments below (7:45):