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Kayla Harrison is set to make her long-awaited UFC debut next weekend when she faces the promotion's former women's bantamweight champion at the marquee MMA event of the year Kayla Harrison. Throughout her rise in the WMMA scene, Harrison has drawn tremendous attention.
Her Olympic triumphs in judo and formerly undefeated record have drawn comparisons to Ronda Rousey, making her one of the most talked-about names in the sport, even prior to her signing with the UFC. While fans are privy to much about Harrison, there are still facts about her that are barely known.
With her UFC debut fast approaching, fans will certainly dig deeper into her background and accomplishments to get a sense of who she truly is. Some details, however, are more obscure than others.
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#5. Kayla Harrison's mother is a judo black belt
Like Ronda Rousey, to whom she is often compared, Kayla Harrison is a historic judoka first introduced to the sport by her mother, Jeannie Yazell, who is also a judoka herself. In fact, Harrison's mother isn't just a practitioner of the martial art, she is also a black belt.
Yazell followed her daughter's career in judo from start to finish and witnessed her great all-time performances as she went on to become the first American woman to win a gold medal in judo. It would be the first of two Olympic gold medals she would win as a martial artist.
Check out Kayla Harrison winning her first Olympic gold medal:
Were it not for her mother's role in introducing her to the sport, Harrison may never have gone on to become a national hero in the American judo scene.
#4. Kayla Harrison's coach was sentenced to prison
While it was her mother, Jeannie Yazell, who introduced her to judo, Kayla Harrison's first proper coach in the martial arts was Daniel Doyle, with whom she won two national championships during her teenage years. Unfortunately, during this time, Doyle was subjecting Harrison to deplorable acts.
He had been sexually abusing Harrison, a minor at the time. The future Olympian disclosed her horrifying ordeal to another judoka, who ultimately notified Harrison's mother. Doyle's criminal acts were subsequently reported to local law enforcement, and he was arrested and convicted, sentenced to a 10-year prison sentence.
In the aftermath of her abuse, Harrison left her hometown of Middletown, Ohio, moving to Boston, Massachusetts, where she trained under legendary judoka Jimmy Pedro.
#3. Kayla Harrison is in the United States Judo Federation Hall of Fame
Many are aware of Kayla Harrison's induction into the International Sports Hall of Fame, which occurred in 2023. However, many may not know that Harrison was also elected into the United States Judo Federation Hall of Fame for her achievements as an American in the sport.
This took place nearly a decade ago, in 2015, after her first Olympic championship win. While Ronda Rousey was the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo, Harrison was the first American, man or woman, to win an Olympic gold medal in judo, which she captured in 2012.
Harrison went on to capture Olympic gold for the second time in 2016, making history once more as the first-ever American to do so in the sport.
#2. She has a single Invicta FC fight, and almost fought at Titan FC
Kayla Harrison's MMA career is known for largely taking place in the PFL, where she became the promotion's undefeated lightweight champion. However, after her seventh consecutive win, she had a short-lived stint in Invicta FC after the cancelation of the 2020 PFL season, which afforded her a contract exemption.
She was allowed to compete in Invicta FC, a bastion of women's MMA that has played host to the likes of Cris Cyborg, an all-time great. There, she made her women's featherweight debut against Courtney King at Invicta FC 43, TKO'ing her in round two for a decisive win that extended her unbeaten run.
Harrison was also expected to fight under the Titan FC banner at Titan FC 66 for the same reason. Unfortunately, she never did so, as her scheduled opponent, Jozette Cotton, withdrew from the matchup after a disastrous weight cut left her hospitalized.
#1. Kayla Harrison adopted/has full custody of her niece and nephew
While Kayla Harrison herself has never given birth to children, she is a full-time mother. In 2020, she adopted her niece and nephew, gaining full custody of them after her family experienced a medical emergency and tragedy. Previously, her mother, Jeannie Yazell, and stepfather, Bob Nichols, had custody of the children.
Unfortunately, her mother suffered a stroke in 2019, which led to brain damage. The following year, her stepfather died unexpectedly, leaving her niece and nephew without a caretaker. This prompted Harrison to step up to the plate, adopting them and taking on the role of their mother.
She has fully embraced motherhood and often shares tender moments with her children on her social media pages.
