Kayla Harrison has nothing however respect for Alex Pereira.
Earlier this 12 months, Harrison and Pereira shared a combat card for the primary time, with each choosing up huge wins at UFC 300. That night, Harrison made her UFC and girls’s bantamweight debut with a second-round submission of former champion Holly Holm, and Pereira efficiently defended his gentle heavyweight title with a first-round knockout of former champion Jamahal Hill. After the occasion was over, the 2 shared a second backstage the place Harrison — a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo — even noticed match to offer Pereira a yellow belt, regardless of “Poatan” not utilizing any grappling expertise in his UFC 300 matchup.
Talking lately with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Harrison defined why.
“A yellow belt is a joke, clearly,” Harrison instructed stated. “You don’t usually give adults yellow belts, in order that was a part of it. … And to be honest to him, he was displaying me the movies of him coaching and he was kicking [ass]. I want that he would launch this one, oh my God — he did the transfer I taught him after which he did the transfer you do if the transfer doesn’t work. I used to be like, ‘Dude, you seem like a judoka!’ It’s loopy how briskly he picks stuff up. He appeared like a legit judo [player]. He foot-swept the shit out of this child. Like slipping on a banana peel.
“So I gave him a yellow belt as a joke.”
Like Harrison, Pereira additionally got here to MMA after an intensive profession in one other fight sport: Kickboxing. A two-division GLORY champion, Pereira solely joined UFC in 2021 and has already carved out a Corridor of Fame worthy profession, successful titles in two weight lessons, headlining a number of marquee occasions, and incomes Fighter of the Yr honors in 2022. He’s additionally change into one of many greatest stars in all of MMA and is the present frontrunner for 2024 Fighter of the Yr honors as effectively — and Harrison couldn’t be happier for him.
“He’s actually dwelling his finest life, isn’t he?” Harrison stated. “He doesn’t communicate English however his character comes throughout. I feel that’s what makes a famous person particular: You possibly can really feel their aura and their character. I don’t even know when you name it charisma, however that factor. He has charisma.
“I’m simply pleased for him. Whenever you hear his story and if you hear — he in all probability doesn’t speak about it loads however he was an alcoholic and he began competing. Dude, that’s badass. I simply like to see it.”
Pereira lately headlined UFC 303, knocking out Jiri Prochazka of their 205-pound title rematch. Afterward, Pereira stated he was open to defending his title in opposition to Magomed Ankalaev, or maybe shifting as much as heavyweight in an try and change into the primary three-division champion in UFC historical past.
