Allegations and accusations are a part of the whole combat sports industry. Fighters accuse each other of various things, including cheating, using banned substances, witchcraft, and much more. As such, Kayla Harrison recently found herself in the crosshairs of Juliana Pena.
Pena had accused the two-time Olympic gold medalist of using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in her career. But Harrison wasn’t about to take these allegations lying down. She fired back with the ferocity of one of her judo throws.
“Number one, it pisses me off because never once have I tested positive for anything, ever, in the history of my very long drug testing career. And number two, don’t f**king say things like that if you don’t have hard evidence. That’s a serious thing to talk about. To me. I take cheating very seriously and I have always competed clean. I carry myself to a high standard.” Harrison stated via The MMA Hour.
Harrison’s frustration was palpable as she defended her clean record. She pointed out that she’s never once tested positive for any banned substances. The former PFL champion challenged Pena’s motives for making such serious accusations. She believes that Juliana Pena was already making excuses for when they potentially fight, and she lost.
Kayla Harrison made her debut at UFC 300. She fought the former bantamweight champion, Holly Holm. The Judoka made quick work of Holm, dispatching her in Round 2 via Rear Naked Choke. Pena, on the other hand, hasn’t been in the Octagon for more than two years. She lost her last against Amanda Nunes. It remains to be seen whether these two will fight in the Octagon.
Juliana Pena Levies Doping Accusations Towards Kayla Harrison
Pena, the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, recently raised eyebrows with some bold claims. She accused Olympic gold medalist Harrison of using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral UFC stories via Google! Follow Us
‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ didn’t mince words when discussing Harrison’s physique during an appearance on The MMA Hour. She believed that Harrison had been doping her entire career. “Stay off the needle, bro,” Pena stated.
Pena’s suspicions stemmed from an incident at International Fight Week 2024. She claimed that Harrison was conspicuously absent from an anti-doping seminar. Pena also took aim at Harrison’s former gym, American Top Team (ATT). According to Pena, ATT is a hotbed of PED use. Fight fans may never know whether these allegations are baseless or true. This will remain one of the many mysteries of the MMA world.
Also Read: UFC Veteran Michael Bisping Criticizes Jake Paul For Weight Bullying Mike Perry In Their Recent Bout
