Kayla Harrison addresses Ronda Rousey comparisons, declares ‘the queen has arrived’ in UFC

Kayla Harrison addresses Ronda Rousey comparisons, declares ‘the queen has arrived’ in UFC

When Kayla Harrison first declared plans to transition from judo to pursue a career in MMA, she couldn’t avoid constant comparisons to Ronda Rousey.

By the time the two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka announced she’d fight in 2016, Rousey was already largely gone from the sport. But Rousey’s impact was undeniable; she was a global superstar and one of the most recognizable athletes in sports, defending her UFC title six times.

Before Rousey’s UFC reign, however, she was an Olympic bronze medalist in judo. That’s why Harrison constantly heard Rousey’s name when she decided to try MMA. Now that she’s about to debut in the UFC, she’s heard all those same comparisons. But she doesn’t really take offense.

“Look, Ronda is a pioneer in this sport,” Harrison said during UFC 300 media day. “She’s the whole reason I’m sitting here today. I’m not going to take knocks at her, or be insulted by it.

“I think the hardest part is that, I’m my own person. I’m my own person. We’re just different, but I have a lot of respect for her, and I’m grateful for everything she was able to accomplish in this sport, and to help grow it for women and shatter ceilings.

“Now, my job is to stand on top of her shoulders and continue to do that.”

At her peak, Rousey not only decimated her competition – she didn’t mind creating viral moments outside the cage. Whether through interviews or post-fight speeches, she transcended into pop culture with the perfect mix of brutality and dominance in the cage. It didn’t hurt she had that same energy in front of a microphone.

Harrison appreciates that she has a similar ability, though she knows her style still ultimately differs from Rousey, no matter how many times their names end up in the same sentence.

“I’m not comparing myself to anyone or anything,” Harrison said. “I’m my own person. I have my own path. I just try to keep walking it everyday, one foot in front of the other. Of course everyone wants to be a star. The goal is not to be a star. The goal is to be UFC champion and be so f****** good, you can’t ignore me, and then to use this platform to change the world how I want to.

“There’s steps to it, and really being a star isn’t a piece of it. It’s something that I guess everyone wants to talk about, but I just want to be so good that you guys have no choice but to call me the queen.”

Funny enough, Harrison’s UFC career starts against the same opponent that ended Rousey’s undefeated run. Holly Holm famously dethroned Rousey in 2015 with one of the most vicious head-kick knockouts in the history of the sport.

Nearly nine years later, Holm still finds herself ranked among the best bantamweight fighters in the world, and Harrison was honored to get that name as her welcome to the UFC.

“I don’t say legend lightly,” Harrison said about Holm. “I think it takes a special kind of person to be a UFC champion, to be in the top 10 for so long, to stay relevant and to evolve as much as she’s evolved. She has a super-high fight IQ. She’s got excellent footwork.

“We know that she has a striking background, but she’s evolved into a very well-rounded mixed martial artist. I think she’s probably the toughest test in the division for me.”

If all goes well on Saturday, Harrison could set the tone for a very big year in her career. She made it clear that moving to the UFC from PFL is all about legacy. The first step is getting through Holm and then sending an emphatic message to the bantamweight division.

“I watch the division,” Harrison said. “I’ve been taking notice. I’ve been keeping my eye on the pulse. They need a new queen.

“Court is now in session. The queen has arrived. Saturday night’s going to be my coming out party. Everyone’s going to be put on notice.”