Kayla
Harrison believes her résumé surpasses Ronda
Rousey’s.
Harrison (19-1) made the comparison on the “Deep Waters” podcast
when asked how she would fare against Rousey in her prime. While
the reigning
Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight titleholder
acknowledges Rousey’s contribution to the growth of women’s mixed
martial arts, she believes she would beat “Rowdy.”
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Kayla Harrison doubts Ronda Rousey could submit her, cites two
Olympic judo gold medals ahead of Amanda Nunes fight
Harrison questioned the level of competition Rousey faced during
her rise in MMA. Rousey won six UFC title fights.
“We learned the armbar at the same gym together,” Harrison said.
“You think she’s going to armbar me? Don’t be disrespectful now.
She did [so much for women’s MMA], but dominating women who picked
up gloves three years ago at a cardio-kickboxing class and said, ‘I
think I’m going to try this.’ She paved the way. I’m standing on
her shoulders, and for that, I am grateful.”
Harrison, who has more judo accolades, recalled losing twice to
Rousey when she was 15. Rousey won an Olympic bronze medal in 2008,
while Harrison won gold in 2012 and 2016. “I have won every single
world cup, every single grand prix, every single grand slam,”
Harrison added. “I won the world masters twice. I won the world
championships and took three bronze medals and I won the Olympics
twice. So, of course I thought I could do it because anything she
can do, I can do better.”
Harrison is scheduled to make her first title defense against
former two-division champion Amanda
Nunes at UFC
334 on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York.