Kayla Harrison
First woman with Olympic judo gold and a UFC title
- Born
- July 2, 1990, Middletown, Ohio, US
- Nationality
United States- Height
- 173 cm (5′8″)
- Reach
- 168 cm (5′6″)
- Stance
- Right
- Style
- Judo-based grappler
- Weight
- 78 kg, MMA bantamweight, MMA lightweight
- Active
- 2008–present
- Status
- Active · age 36
The record
Professional MMA record (PFL, Invicta, UFC) as of September 2026; only loss a 2022 decision to Larissa Pacheco. Wikipedia lists her judo tournament record as 208 wins, 50 losses.
2 Olympic golds (2012, 2016), 2010 world title
The story
ayla Harrison began judo at six in Middletown, Ohio, and as a teenager moved to Boston to train under Jimmy Pedro after she reported abuse by her former coach, who was jailed. She won the 2010 world title at 78 kg, then became the first American to win Olympic judo gold, at London 2012, and repeated it in Rio in 2016. She turned to MMA in 2018, won the PFL lightweight tournament in 2019 and 2021, and suffered her only loss to Larissa Pacheco in 2022. In the UFC she submitted Holly Holm in her debut and in June 2025 won the bantamweight title with a kimura against Julianna Peña. Her 19-1 record is built on judo takedowns, top control and arm attacks.
- Olympic champion, 78 kg (2012, 2016)
- World champion, 78 kg (2010)
- UFC women's bantamweight champion (2025–present)
- PFL women's lightweight champion (2019, 2021)
- US Judo Federation Hall of Fame (2015)
- International Sports Hall of Fame (2023)
Defining matches
- 2012WINvs Gemma Gibbons (London Olympic 78 kg final; first US Olympic judo gold)
- 2016WINvs Audrey Tcheuméo (Rio Olympic 78 kg final)
- 2022LOSSvs Larissa Pacheco (PFL lightweight final, decision)
- 2024WINvs Holly Holm (UFC 300, rear-naked choke, round 2)
- 2025WINvs Julianna Peña (UFC 316, kimura, round 2; won the UFC bantamweight title)
Harrison turns judo grips into MMA control: clinch, hip in for o-goshi or a trip, and land in a dominant top position instead of a scramble. From there she hunts the arm, which is why armbars and a kimura decide so many of her fights.
