• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Olympic champion Kayla Harrison is on verge of setting UFC record that will never be matched

Home> MMA> UFC> UFC News

Updated 15:37 6 Jun 2025 GMT+1Published 15:34 6 Jun 2025 GMT+1

Olympic champion Kayla Harrison is on verge of setting UFC record that will never be matched

Kayla Harrison aims to become a UFC champion at UFC 316.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Olympic champion Kayla Harrison is on the verge of setting a remarkable UFC record that may never be matched.

The UFC sets up shop in Newark, New Jersey, for the stacked UFC 316 on Saturday, which features not one but two huge title fights.

Merab Dvalishvili rematches Sean O'Malley for the UFC bantamweight title in the main-event as they run it back following their UFC 306 showdown.

In the co-headliner, Julianna Pena puts her UFC women's bantamweight title on the line against Harrison, who competes in her first UFC title fight of her distinguished career.

Advert

Harrison made her name at the Olympics, winning an impressive two gold medals in judo.

She won the first of her two gold medals at the London Games in 2012 before winning a second at the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016.

Kayla Harrison faces Julianna Pena for the UFC women's bantamweight title at UFC 316. Image: Getty
Kayla Harrison faces Julianna Pena for the UFC women's bantamweight title at UFC 316. Image: Getty

Harrison will now look to add a UFC championship to her haul of titles.

Advert

If she does indeed dethrone Pena of the UFC women's bantamweight title, then the 34-year-old will become the first female Olympic gold medalist to win a UFC belt.

She would become just the second UFC fighter to achieve that feat, with Henry Cejudo reaching the accomplishment after winning the UFC flyweight and UFC bantamweight titles, having won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing.

Harrison, meanwhile, has won 18 of her 19 pro MMA bouts, including two UFC victories.

Speaking ahead of UFC 316, she said: "I’m feeling ready, grateful for this opportunity and ready to make the most of it.

Advert

"The goal was always to be UFC champion, and I didn’t know how long and winding of a road it would be, but we’re finally here, so I’m excited.

"I had no expectations; the goal was to be so good that they couldn’t ignore me and to get a shot. The sooner the better, but all in God’s time - God’s plan. I believe it’s all working out how it’s supposed to."

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: UFC

Nasir Jabbar
Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Darren Till. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

X

@NasJabbar

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

11 hours ago
12 hours ago
a day ago
  • 11 hours ago

    UFC forced into dramatic change as 'horrible' footage emerges before Shanghai event

    MMA fans are seriously concerned after seeing footage of one fighter during UFC Shanghai fight week.

    MMA
  • 12 hours ago

    Conor McGregor's next fight 'announced' at press conference as UFC fans left stunned

    Conor McGregor's last fight was in July 2021 when he broke his leg in a bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

    MMA
  • a day ago

    Sean Strickland banned for controversial incident involving another UFC fighter

    The former middleweight champion will be forced to spend some time outside of the octagon.

    MMA
  • a day ago

    New UFC signing demands major rule change that would see Alex Pereira banned from promotion

    A UFC newcomer called for a major change.

    MMA
  • Dana White ruthlessly axes three fighters in latest round of cuts just a day before UFC 316
  • Joe Rogan recorded podcast episode that will NEVER be aired because 'it got so off-track' and 'heated'
  • Olympic pole vaulter sends whole stadium wild by setting insane world record that may never be beaten
  • Athlete immediately retires after setting stunning Olympic record which may never be broken