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: 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.
2020: PFL Season Cancellation
The 2020 PFL season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
