Kayla Harrison recalls being drug tested by USADA in middle school after becoming the second-most scrutinized fighter alongside Conor McGregor

Kayla Harrison’s path to UFC gold has been filled with both triumphs and intense scrutiny. The two-time Olympic judo champion and former PFL titleholder, now 18-1 in MMA and 2-0 in the UFC, is set to challenge Julianna Peña for the women’s bantamweight championship at UFC 316 on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Harrison’s journey to the top has not been without its challenges. In an interview on the OverDogs podcast, she recalled a surprising moment from her youth: a USADA drug test at her middle school. As a top-ranked judo competitor on the national roster, Harrison became one of the most closely watched athletes in her sport—second only to Conor McGregor in terms of media scrutiny.

She described the experience as bewildering for her peers, who couldn’t understand why a middle schooler would be subjected to such measures.

"First time I got drug tested, they came to my middle school because I was on the National roster for 48 kilos when I was 12... So once you're in the top 5, you automatically start getting drug tested by USADA and they showed up at my middleweight and all my homies were like, ‘They didn't know if I was like a drug dealer, like on probation, like what the f**k is going down!’ It's for judo, you know., they’re everyone’s like, ‘Oh okay.’"

Check out Kayla Harrison's comments below:

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When Kayla Harrison Compared Herself to Khabib Nurmagomedov

Kayla Harrison once boldly compared herself to former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. In an interview shared years ago on YouTube by ESPN MMA, Harrison described her fighting style—a blend of elite grappling, wrestling, and judo—as reminiscent of the Russian fighter’s dominant approach:

"I would say I'm like a female Khabib Nurmagomedov, but better."

At that time, Harrison was yet to sign with the UFC, having built an impressive legacy in the Professional Fighters League as a lightweight champion with an undefeated record before a setback in a trilogy bout against Larissa Pacheco.

Check out Kayle Harrison's comment below: