"You’re fighting tomato cans," "Who gave her a mic?" - Julianna Pena and Kayla Harrison get into heated back-and-forth at UFC 307 press conference
The fiery exchange between Juliana Pena and Kayla Harrison at the UFC 307 press conference was perhaps the most memorable highlight of the proceedings. Pena and Harrison launched a few pointed comments at each other which were met with cheers from spectators.
Pena will take on Raquel Pennington for the women's bantamweight throne in the co-main event fixture of UFC 307. Meanwhile, Harrison will lock horns with Ketlen Vieira in a potential bantamweight title eliminator in her second fight under the UFC banner.
Harrison, the former Professional Fighters League (PFL) lightweight champion, asserted that she's coming for the title, dismissing any concerns about who holds the championship after UFC 307:
"Fill in the blank. It doesn’t matter. It’s only a matter of time. I’m the uncrowned queen. First Saturday night, I smash Ketlen and then I come for my title. Enjoy it while you can ladies.”
Pena fired back at Harrison's comments by referencing the American's loss to Larissa Pacheco at PFL 10:
“I know violence. Kayla just got here to the scene... As far as I’m concerned, the last time she faced a Brazilian, she came running into the UFC.”
Harrison quickly fired back, pointing out Pena's uneven UFC record compared to her impressive 17-1 professional fighting record. This comment ignited a strong reaction from Pena, who said:
"It’s easy to be 17-1 when you’re fighting freaking tomato cans."
During the exchange, Harrison also tried to one-up Pena by drawing attention to her Olympic gold medal wins in 2012 and 2016, while also claiming she has more finishes than Pena's victories.
Check out the full exchange below (9:00):
When Kayla Harrison responded to Juliana Pena's accusations of cheating
Earlier this year, Juliana Pena claimed that Kayla Harrison has used performance-enhancing drugs, providing little evidence to back her assertion. Harrison responded strongly to her accusations of cheating by highlighting her commitment to fair play in MMA.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist pulled off a sensational second-round submission victory in her UFC debut against Holly Holm. She currently occupies the No.3 spot in the women's bantamweight rankings.
Harrison claimed that she has been subject to rigorous drug testing since her teenage years and has consistently competed clean. The accusations not only frustrate her but also undermine the hard work she has put into her career. Speaking about the accusations in an interview with MMA Fighting, Harrison said:
“It pisses me off because I’ve worked really hard my whole life to be an athlete and to be a competitor. In my mind, we are held to a different standard. I would never make false accusations, because what I say, the public takes in and now is going to spew out because Julianna Pena says I’m on steroids. So to me, I’m not ever going to say something about someone unless I know it’s true, because I’m in the spotlight and people listen to what I say. To me, it just shows no class.” [H/t: MMA Fighting]
Catch Kayla Harrison's comments below (2:47:00):