History of Kayla Harrison in Timeline
Kayla Jean Harrison is an American professional mixed martial artist and judoka. She is currently competing in the UFC women's Bantamweight division and is a former PFL Lightweight champion. As of November 5, 2024, she is #7 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings and #2 in the bantamweight rankings (as of October 8, 2024).
July 2, 1990: Birth of Kayla Harrison
Kayla Jean Harrison was born on July 2, 1990.
1999: Jimmy Pedro's World Championship Win
In 1999, Kayla Harrison's coach, Jimmy Pedro, won the World Judo Championships.
2008: Weight Class Change and Junior World Championship
In 2008, Harrison changed weight classes and won the Junior World Championship.
2010: World Judo Championship Gold Medal
In 2010, Harrison won the World Judo Championships.
2011: World Championships Bronze Medal
Harrison won a bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships.
August 2, 2012: Olympic Gold Medal Victory
On August 2, 2012, Kayla Harrison won the Olympic gold medal in judo.
2012: First Olympic Gold Medal in Judo
Kayla Harrison won her first Olympic gold medal in judo in 2012.
2015: Induction into US Judo Federation Hall of Fame
In 2015, Harrison was inducted into the United States Judo Federation Hall of Fame.
August 31, 2016: Promotion to Rokudan (6th Degree Black Belt)
On August 31, 2016, Harrison was promoted to rokudan (6th Degree Black Belt).
October 2016: Signing with World Series of Fighting
In October 2016, Harrison signed with the World Series of Fighting.
2016: Second Olympic Gold Medal in Judo
Harrison secured her second Olympic gold medal in judo in 2016.
June 21, 2018: MMA Debut and Victory
On June 21, 2018, Harrison made her MMA debut and won via submission.
August 16, 2018: Victory against Jozette Cotton
Harrison won her second professional MMA fight against Jozette Cotton on August 16, 2018.
2018: Victory against Moriel Charneski
In 2018, Harrison defeated Moriel Charneski via TKO.
May 9, 2019: Victory against Larissa Pacheco
On May 9, 2019, Harrison won against Larissa Pacheco by unanimous decision.
July 11, 2019: Victory against Morgan Frier and Contract Extension
On July 11, 2019, Harrison won against Morgan Frier and signed a contract extension with the PFL.
October 11, 2019: Playoff Victory against Bobbi Jo Dalziel
Harrison won against Bobbi Jo Dalziel in the PFL playoffs on October 11, 2019.
December 31, 2019: PFL Women's Lightweight Championship Win
On December 31, 2019, Harrison won the PFL Women's Lightweight Championship against Larissa Pacheco.
November 20, 2020: Invicta FC Debut and Victory
On November 20, 2020, Harrison made her Invicta FC debut and won against Courtney King.
December 17, 2020: Cancelled Bout against Jozette Cotton
Harrison's rematch against Jozette Cotton, scheduled for December 17, 2020, was cancelled due to Cotton's hospitalization.
2020: PFL Season Cancellation
The 2020 PFL season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Guardianship of Niece and Nephew
In 2020, Kayla Harrison gained full custody of her niece and nephew following the sudden death of her stepfather, who had previously held custody.
May 6, 2021: Victory against Mariana Morais
Harrison defeated Mariana Morais on May 6, 2021, at PFL 3.
June 25, 2021: Victory against Cindy Dandois
On June 25, 2021, Harrison won against Cindy Dandois via submission.
August 19, 2021: Semifinal Victory against Genah Fabian
Harrison won against Genah Fabian in the semifinals on August 19, 2021.
October 27, 2021: PFL Women's Lightweight Championship Win
On October 27, 2021, Kayla Harrison won the PFL Women's Lightweight Championship against Taylor Guardado.
March 2022: Contract Signing and Resigning with PFL
In March 2022, Harrison signed with Bellator MMA, but PFL exercised their matching right and Harrison re-signed with them.
May 6, 2022: Victory against Marina Mokhnatkina
Harrison defeated Marina Mokhnatkina on May 6, 2022.
July 1, 2022: Victory against Kaitlin Young
On July 1, 2022, Harrison won against Kaitlin Young, who replaced an injured Julia Budd.
August 20, 2022: Semifinal Victory against Martina Jindrová
Harrison won against Martina Jindrová in the semifinals on August 20, 2022.
November 25, 2022: Loss to Larissa Pacheco
On November 25, 2022, Harrison lost to Larissa Pacheco in the PFL Women's Lightweight finals.
March 2023: Induction into the International Sports Hall of Fame
In March 2023, Kayla Harrison was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.
November 24, 2023: Victory against Aspen Ladd
On November 24, 2023, Kayla Harrison secured a unanimous decision victory against Aspen Ladd at a catchweight of 150 pounds at PFL 10. This fight occurred after Julia Budd was removed for not fulfilling contractual obligations.
December 2023: PFL Contract Termination Date
Harrison's re-signed contract with PFL was set to be terminated in December 2023.
January 23, 2024: UFC Signing and Debut Announcement
On January 23, 2024, Dana White announced Kayla Harrison's signing with the UFC and her upcoming bantamweight debut against Holly Holm.
April 13, 2024: UFC 300 Victory against Holly Holm
On April 13, 2024, Kayla Harrison made her UFC debut at UFC 300, defeating former champion Holly Holm via rear-naked choke submission in the second round.
October 5, 2024: Victory against Ketlen Vieira
On October 5, 2024, Kayla Harrison won against Ketlen Vieira by unanimous decision at UFC 307.
October 8, 2024: #2 in UFC Women's Bantamweight Rankings
As of October 8, 2024, Kayla Harrison was ranked #2 in the UFC women's bantamweight rankings.
November 5, 2024: #7 in UFC Women's Pound-for-Pound Rankings
On November 5, 2024, Kayla Harrison achieved a #7 ranking in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings.