Kayla Harrison, who captured gold medals in judo during both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics, will make her MMA debut in 2018 for the Professional Fighters League. Harrison, who signed with the then-World Series of Fighting last year, is expected to compete on a card in February according to a report by the Los […]
Kayla Harrison, who captured gold medals in judo during both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics, will make her MMA debut in 2018 for the Professional Fighters League. Harrison, who signed with the then-World Series of Fighting last year, is expected to compete on a card in February according to a report by the Los […]
MMA Weekly reports that the first American to ever win a gold medal in Judo at the Olympics, Kayla Harrison, has signed with manager Ali Abdel-Aziz and Dominance MMA. At this summer’s Olympic games Harrison brought home gold in the 78kg weight class.
Don’t get too excited at the prospect of the twenty two year-old taking her Judo skills to MMA just yet, however. According to MMA Weekly, Abdel-Aziz says that Harrison wants to go for another gold in four years.
“In an interview with MMAWeekly.com content partner Bleacher Report in July, Harrison discussed her potential move into MMA following along with former teammate Ronda Rousey.
‘Not sure as of right now. I never say never but I don’t know if the MMA world is ready for me! I’m a bit bigger than Ronda, and I’m not quite as flashy. I’m also not an entertainer. I do the sport because I love it, not for money or fame. So to make the transition into MMA would be a big one for me,’ said Harrison.”
MMA Weekly reports that the first American to ever win a gold medal in Judo at the Olympics, Kayla Harrison, has signed with manager Ali Abdel-Aziz and Dominance MMA. At this summer’s Olympic games Harrison brought home gold in the 78kg weight class.
Don’t get too excited at the prospect of the twenty two year-old taking her Judo skills to MMA just yet, however. According to MMA Weekly, Abdel-Aziz says that Harrison wants to go for another gold in four years.
“In an interview with MMAWeekly.com content partner Bleacher Report in July, Harrison discussed her potential move into MMA following along with former teammate Ronda Rousey.
‘Not sure as of right now. I never say never but I don’t know if the MMA world is ready for me! I’m a bit bigger than Ronda, and I’m not quite as flashy. I’m also not an entertainer. I do the sport because I love it, not for money or fame. So to make the transition into MMA would be a big one for me,’ said Harrison.”
Abdel-Aziz will manage Harrison along with her Judo coach Jimmy Pedro. Pedro is himself an American Judo legend, having won two bronze Olympic medals and coached other top players.
How do you think Harrison will fare in MMA, nation? She’d likely be less dynamic than Rousey but might she end up just as dominant in her weight class?
(Harrison [top] grapples with Gemma Gibbons of Great Britain during the gold medal match earlier today. Photo props: SFGate)
Without throwing around too many spoilers, it’s been a monster of a day for American women at the 2012 Olympics. And for martial arts fans, it’s a historic one, as women’s 78kg competitor Kayla Harrison became the first American athlete ever to win a gold medal in judo. She’s just the second American woman to medal at the Olympics, following Strikeforce champ Ronda Rousey (her former training partner), who took bronze in 2008. Women’s 57kg competitor Marti Malloy also won a bronze on Monday, making the 2012 London games the first Olympics since 1998 in which the USA has earned two medals in judo.
Harrison, who entered this year’s competition ranked fourth in the world, reached the finals by defeating Vera Moskalyuk (Russia), Abigel Joo (Hungary), and world-ranked #1 Mayra Aguiar (Brazil), all by ippon. She faced Great Britain’s Gemma Gibbons in the gold-medal match, and won 2-0 on a pair of yukos. In your face, world.
After the jump: A Boston Globe video-profile on Harrison’s life and training, and a TV-shot video of the end of her finals match against Gibbons.
(Harrison [top] grapples with Gemma Gibbons of Great Britain during the gold medal match earlier today. Photo props: SFGate)
Without throwing around too many spoilers, it’s been a monster of a day for American women at the 2012 Olympics. And for martial arts fans, it’s a historic one, as women’s 78kg competitor Kayla Harrison became the first American athlete ever to win a gold medal in judo. She’s just the second American woman to medal at the Olympics, following Strikeforce champ Ronda Rousey (her former training partner), who took bronze in 2008. Women’s 57kg competitor Marti Malloy also won a bronze on Monday, making the 2012 London games the first Olympics since 1998 in which the USA has earned two medals in judo.
Harrison, who entered this year’s competition ranked fourth in the world, reached the finals by defeating Vera Moskalyuk (Russia), Abigel Joo (Hungary), and world-ranked #1 Mayra Aguiar (Brazil), all by ippon. She faced Great Britain’s Gemma Gibbons in the gold-medal match, and won 2-0 on a pair of yukos. In your face, world.
After the jump: A Boston Globe video-profile on Harrison’s life and training, and a TV-shot video of the end of her finals match against Gibbons.
