Reigning UFC bantamweight world champion Raquel Pennington believes Kayla Harrison will get exposed once she makes her promotional debut on April 13.
In January, Dana White revealed that Harrison, a two-time PFL lightweight champion, had signed with the promotion and would make her first appearance inside the Octagon at UFC 300. Harrison will meet former 135-pound champ and division mainstay Holly Holm.
During an appearance on MMA on SiriusXM, Pennington spoke about Harrison’s long-awaited debut, suggesting that the two-time Olympic gold medalist might get exposed after crushing cans inside the PFL Smart Cage for the last five years.
“I was wondering if she was ever going to sign with the UFC,” Pennington said. “There’s been a lot of talk throughout the years, but she’s been successful in PFL. My biggest question is how is she going to make the weight? She’s a very dense chick. There’s no denying that. I feel like as far as coming into the UFC, a lot of athletes haven’t truly been challenged and I feel like she hasn’t truly been challenged in the PFL.
“Coming in and to have this platform, it’s gonna give her a run for her money for sure. She had a huge fight career, but I think she’s going to be exposed a little bit. First and foremost, the hardest part of this is making the weight.”
"She has a huge hype following her and whatnot, but I think that she's going to be exposed a little bit."
New BW champ, @RockyPMMA shares her thoughts on Kayla Harrison signing with UFC & her debut against Holly Holm at #UFC300
Source: Unlocking the Cage | @RJcliffordMMA pic.twitter.com/VQztP6ohLk
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) January 30, 2024
If Holly Holm Can Get Her Striking Going, It’s All Over For Kayla Harrison
Even before Kayla Harrison steps inside the Octagon, she’ll face an equally tough battle with the scale. In the Olympics, Harrison competed in the 78 kg (172 lb) weight category in judo. Under the PFL banner, she fought at 155 pounds making her cut to bantamweight a fairly daunting task. And even if she does hit the mark, what effect will it have once the cage door closes behind her?
As for Harrison’s opponent, Holm is still one of the premiere athletes in the women’s division, though she has not been the same dominant force that she once was. That is understandable considering that she is now 42 years old, but it could spell disaster for ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ against a grappling juggernaut like Kayla Harrison.
“I feel like Holly is at a point in her career where she’s older, and I don’t mean that in any bad way, but things get tough when you get older as an athlete,” Pennington continued. “It takes a toll on your body and stuff and she’s been around for a very long time. I feel like her last few fights, she hasn’t had that it [factor] anymore. She’s been battling different injuries and stuff and it just feels like she’s on her way out.
“But I feel like if Holly brings back the Holly that first came into the UFC and strikes with Kayla, it’s not going to go Kayla’s direction at all.”
