SUMMARY
- Dustin Poirier took to X to give the latest update on Kayla Harrison.
- Harrison will be making her debut at bantamweight on UFC 300 and the former PFL Lightweight Champion has raised concerns among fans about her weight cut.
UFC CEO Dana White recently announced the acquisition of Kayla Harrison. The former PFL fighter will be making her UFC debut in April 2024 at UFC 300. She will be up against Holly Holm in a bantamweight bout. The 135 lbs category has raised concerns among fans as Harrison fights at 155 lbs and just made one appearance at 145 lbs.
Harrison last fought in November 2023 at PFL 10 against former UFC fighter Aspen Ladd. She won that bout via unanimous decision extending her record to 16-1.
The lightweight division in the UFC has been scrapped for women. The featherweight division has also been put on hold. Bantamweight (135lbs) is the highest weight category in the women’s division.
Nothing to see here folks just 2 @ufc fighters 👊 pic.twitter.com/VU56cN6d41
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) January 24, 2024
UFC Lightweight fighter Dustin Poirier, on the other hand, took to X to give an update about Harrison’s ongoing training. The UFC fighters caught up at the American Top Team gym. Poirier posted a picture with Harrison and captioned it, “Nothing to see here folks just 2 @ufc fighters.”
Harrison is looking already on her way to 135lbs. Her walk-around weight is said to be over 155 lbs. The former world champion judoka has just less than three months to get in shape for her bantamweight debut.
UFC CEO Dana White addresses concerns surrounding Kayla Harrison’s weight cut
White was informed about the concerns among fans regarding Harrison’s weight cut. According to Aaron Bronsteter, White addressed those concerns during an Instagram Live. He wrote on X, “On IG Live, Dana White says that Kayla Harrison has done multiple test weight cuts to 135 pounds and he has no concerns about her being able to make weight.”
On IG Live, Dana White says that Kayla Harrison has done multiple test weight cuts to 135 pounds and he has no concerns about her being able to make weight.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) January 25, 2024
During her days as a judoka, Harrison started at the 63 kg (138 lbs) division but moved to the 78 kg (170 lbs) division. In the 78kg category, Harrison has won two Olympic gold medals and the Judo World Championship.
Kayla Harrison has spoken against weight-cutting before
In an interview with Luke Thomas on The MMA Hour in 2019, Harrison spoke against the weight-cutting process. She said, “First of all, I don’t believe in cutting weight, I think it’s terrible for your body, I think if you’re gonna win, you’re gonna win at whatever weight you compete at and I think it’s sending a bad message to young girls and young kids.
“I don’t want anyone, especially my niece or someone to think that to be thinner is to be better. I just don’t believe in that. You’re big, you’re strong, you’re powerful, that’s the message that I want to send.”
At the same time, Harrison revealed her walk-around weight to be around 160 lbs to 165 lbs. It is expected that Harrison will be cutting around 20-25 lbs for her bantamweight debut. However, at least in the men’s division, such weight cuts are not an anomaly. Fighters such as Alex Pereira have cut more than 20 lbs for their fights.
