"I was peeing blood" - Kayla Harrison reveals harrowing health condition stemming from weight cut that affected her UFC 307 performance
Kayla Harrison recently weighed in on a distressing health scare caused by a grueling weight cut, which significantly impacted her performance at UFC 307. The former Olympic gold medalist secured her second UFC victory last weekend over Ketlen Vieira in a high-stakes bantamweight clash at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Despite entering the bout as the heavy favorite, Harrison found herself tested to the limit by Vieira, who inflicted noticeable bruising and a gash on her forehead. However, Harrison asserted her dominance as the fight progressed, ultimately securing a unanimous decision win.
During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Harrison revealed that she encountered serious health challenges leading up to the fight, which hindered her showing against 'Fenomeno':
"I don't like to make excuses. I had to go to the hospital the week before. I was like peeing blood, and there was some stuff going on. So, I don't like to make excuses, but I definitely wasn't my best inside the cage Saturday night."
Although the Ohio native did not explicitly disclose the exact cause of her medical challenges, she indicated that they likely stemmed from the demanding weight cut she endured:
"I'm just not built to weigh 135 pounds. Anytime I get under the 150s, it's not pleasant. The first time was fear of can I do it? And this time, it was fear of like, 'Oh, God, I have to do it.' You know, like the anticipation."
Check out Kayla Harrison's comments below (0:50):
Harrison made her highly anticipated octagon debut at UFC 300 this past April, securing a commanding second-round submission victory over Holly Holm.
What weight class did Kayla Harrison fight in before making her UFC debut?
Since joining the UFC bantamweight division this January, Kayla Harrison has encountered the challenge of cutting down to an unfamiliar weight class, having spent her entire MMA career in the PFL competing in the lightweight division.
Harrison faced considerable skepticism from the MMA community regarding her ability to meet the weight requirement. However, the 34-year-old has managed to successfully make the necessary weight limit of 136 pounds for two of her octagon appearances.