Remember Ronda Rousey? The arm-bar queen who put women’s MMA on the map. Well, Ali Abdelaziz thinks Kayla Harrison is about to make Rousey look like a warm-up act. The judoka-turned-MMA powerhouse is making waves, and her manager is singing her praises loud for all to hear. He revealed all the accomplishments of Harrison in comparison to that of ‘Rowdy.’
Abdelaziz points out that while Rousey won bronze, Harrison snagged two gold medals in the Olympics. He believes his fighter will beat people in ways Rousey never could. Abdelaziz is talking about her dominating the 135 lb division to the point that every fighter against her is a huge underdog.
“This is no disrespect to Ronda, she’s great, she opened the door for all of the women but Kayla, all the time, did things much better than her… The way Kayla is going to beat people, I don’t think Ronda was ever going to beat people the way Kayla is going to do it. I’m talking about dominance. She doesn’t say much, but she does a lot of damage. She inflicts a lot of pain,” said Abdelaziz via MMA Fighting.
Kayla Harrison’s UFC debut was very impressive. She went into the octagon and submitted Holly Holm in the second round. This was the same fighter who famously dethroned Rousey with a perfect head kick.
Abdelaziz further compared Harrison’s style to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. He claimed Harrison makes opponents rethink their careers. Looking ahead, the Judoka might get a title shot if she beats Ketlen Vieira, and this may be the start of her very dominant reign.
Kayla Harrison Eyeing Title Shot After Win At UFC 307
Harrison is gearing up for a pivotal moment in her MMA career. The two-time Olympic judo gold medalist is set to face Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City this weekend. Her meteoric rise in the sport has been nothing short of impressive. She traded her judo gi for MMA gloves in 2018 and hasn’t looked back. With only one loss in 18 fights, she’s been steamrolling through opponents like a hot knife through butter.
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Her UFC debut in April was a real eye-opener. Harrison proved she belongs in the big leagues by taking down veteran Holly Holm. Now, she’s eyeing an even bigger prize – a shot at the UFC women’s bantamweight title.
“I’m the uncrowned queen. First, Saturday night I smash Ketlen and then I come for my title, so enjoy it while you can ladies,” said Harrison at the UFC 307 pre-fight press conference.
The bantamweight division is on high alert. Current champ Raquel Pennington and challenger Julianna Pena are also on the UFC 307 card. This card definitely will reveal what the future of the women’s 135-pound division will look like. Just one more sleep!
Also Read: PFL Founder Expresses Disappointment In Kayla Harrison For Leaving To Join UFC ‘Brand’
