It was unavoidable that Kayla Harrison would obtain comparisons to Ronda Rousey when she first made her transition into MMA.
Each got here from judo backgrounds with Rousey changing into the primary lady from the US to seize a medal on the Olympics solely to be outdone by Harrison, who ended up with a pair of gold medals in back-to-back video games. Whereas Rousey’s contributions to the game are nearly immeasurable, particularly given the truth that she performed a component in Dana White truly bringing ladies to the UFC, Harrison could finally surpass her once more.
That’s in accordance with Harrison’s longtime supervisor Ali Abdelaziz, who has been along with her since earlier than she was even preventing and now she stands on the precipice of probably preventing for gold once more if she will get by way of Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307.
“That is no disrespect to Ronda, she’s nice, she opened the door for the entire ladies however Kayla, on a regular basis, did issues a lot better than her,” Abdelaziz informed MMA Preventing. “[Ronda] received a bronze medal. Kayla received two gold medals. The way in which Kayla goes to beat folks, I don’t suppose Ronda was ever going to beat folks the best way Kayla goes to do it.
“I’m speaking about dominance. She doesn’t say a lot however she does loads of harm. She inflicts loads of ache.”
In her octagon debut, Harrison ran roughshod over former champion Holly Holm, submitting her with a rear-naked choke within the second spherical at UFC 300. Holm was the fighter that famously dethroned Rousey again in 2015 when Rousey was on prime of the world and seemingly unbeatable.
Comparisons apart, Harrison is forging her personal path within the UFC after she grew up competing within the PFL and thru one battle so far, her fashion has definitely translated between promotions.
Having witnessed different fighters on his roster like UFC Corridor of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov and present light-weight champion Islam Makhachev dominate the competitors, Abdelaziz believes that Harrison can do the identical now that she’s within the UFC.
“She smothers folks, she punishes them,” Abdelaziz stated. “She creates loads of harm, creates loads of chaos and it’s thrilling on the similar time. Khabib was all the time thrilling. Kayla is all the time thrilling. Kayla has by no means been in a boring battle. That’s what Kayla does. She’s a world class athlete. She’s an A-plus, two-time Olympic champion and the best way she dominates folks, she makes you be like, ‘Why am I doing this?’
“She makes folks rethink their careers. Anyone Kayla goes to battle, they’ll rethink their profession. It doesn’t matter who. No disrespect to no one. She’s one of the best. She’s probably the most dominant and Saturday evening you’re going to see yet one more time why I hold saying that for the final 10 years.”
If Harrison will get by way of Vieira on Saturday, all indicators level in the direction of her getting a shot on the title in opposition to the winner of the UFC 307 principal occasion between Raquel Pennington and Julianna Peña.
There’s a world the place Harrison might have simply slipped proper right into a title battle after her win in opposition to Holm in April however Abdelaziz understands why the UFC went in a distinct path.
“It was talked [about Kayla getting a title shot] however I feel the UFC beforehand they promised Julianna they’d give her a title shot,” Abdelaziz revealed. “It was form of promised and these guys, you prefer it or not, they provide you their phrase, they all the time hold it. I respect their opinion. It’s OK. If Kayla believes she’s one of the best on the earth, she has to smash everyone. I consider she is one of the best on the earth. I consider Ketlen Vieira is a good fighter, an awesome take a look at for Kayla. I feel Saturday evening, Kayla’s going to indicate why she’s one of the best feminine fighter on the planet in any division.
“[Kayla is next for the title], that is what [the UFC] stated however in actuality [crazy things] occur within the sport. Kayla must do what she has to do on Saturday evening and I feel 99.9 % she is subsequent. Undoubtedly, no one can inform her she’s not.”
Whether or not it’s Pennington or Pena, none of that appears to matter a lot to Harrison and the identical goes for her supervisor. It doesn’t matter what he expects Harrison to have a title round her waist quickly sufficient.
“If the champ needs to retire [rather than fight her], I perceive,” Abdelaziz stated. “I don’t wish to battle Kayla, too.”