Kayla Harrison addresses the possibility of stepping into UFC 307 title fight on short notice: "I will fight that fight"
Kayla Harrison was able to put forth a dominant performance in her promotional debut at UFC 300, defeating former UFC women's bantamweight champion Holly Holm via second-round submission. The two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo is set to make her return to the octagon at UFC 307 when she faces Ketlen Vieira.
Elsewhere on the card, Raquel Pennington will look to defend her women's bantamweight title for the first time when she faces Julianna Pena in the co-main event. The No.3-ranked women's bantamweight recently expressed that she is prepared to step in and fight for the belt on short notice.
Speaking to Damon Martin of MMA Fighting, Harrison was asked about potentially being a back-up for the bout, responding:
"That's what I heard. I mean, that's what I'm planning. My mindset is Ketlen Vieira, whoop her a**, and be prepared for the unknown. And if I have to step in on short notice and fight, I will absolutely 1000%. On two minutes notice, on one minute notice, on 30 seconds notice, I will step - even after I fight Ketlen, if someone gets hurt in the back, I will still fight that fight."
She added:
"No, that's what I mean. This is fighting. Dude, we're not playing around. Like, when you spar, s**t happens, ACLs get torn. Things happen, so I'm prepared for a phone call at 3 a.m. from Hunter [Campbell] like, 'Hey, what's up? Can you lose an extra pound?' You're d**n right, I can."
Check out Kayla Harrison's comments on fighting for the title at UFC 307 below:
Harrison's bout with Vieira is, in all likelihood, a women's bantamweight title eliminator. The winner of the bout is expected to face the winner of the title bout between Pennington and Pena.
Kayla Harrison expects fans to question why she isn't fighting for the belt at UFC 307
While many expected Kayla Harrison to receive a title opportunity after just one UFC win, she will enter the octagon again at UFC 307 next month. The No.3-ranked women's bantamweight recently shared her reaction to her matchup with Ketlen Vieira and how she expects fans to react to her performance.
Speaking to John Morgan of Grind City Media, she stated:
"I'm ready. I'm the best in the world everyday of the week, so no matter who it is, what day it is, I'm ready and I will be ready when my time comes. Until then, great. I get to go out, I get to show the fans even more of me.
"I get to showcase my skills even more against someone who's ranked higher than me on the same card as the two girls who are fighting for the title. Everyone's going to be like, 'Holy s**t, why isn't this girl fighting for the title?'"
Check out Kayla Harrison's comments below (starting at the 4:41 mark):
Harrison will have the opportunity to make a statement when she faces Vieira. It will be interesting to see how the bout plays out as her opponent has the highest takedown defense percentage in UFC women's bantamweight history.