Kayla Harrison has drawn a sharp line between herself and Ronda Rousey, and she did not soften the contrast when she delivered it.
Speaking on the UFC Vegas 116 pre-fight show, Harrison responded to Rousey’s recent public attacks and framed their current situations as representing two fundamentally different approaches to a combat sports career.
“I think that the part that bothers me most about Ronda is at one point she was a real athlete,” Harrison said. “She was training for the Olympics. She’s an Olympic bronze medalist. She became a UFC champion. She was really trying to chase greatness.”
Harrison acknowledged Rousey’s historical significance to women’s MMA without hesitation before turning to where she believes the two part ways.
“I will never take away the fact that Ronda is probably the most important female fighter. If it weren’t for her, for sure I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I wouldn’t have a job. But this fight is not the greatest fight of all time. It’s between someone who hasn’t fought in 10 years and is coming off two knockout losses and another woman, again another legend, another pioneer, but hasn’t fought in 17 years and is in her 40s. Don’t call it the greatest fight of all time. I’m chasing greatness. You’re chasing money. We’re different.”
The feud between the two women began when Harrison called Rousey a liar over a training story from their judo days. Rousey responded by repeatedly calling Harrison a derogatory name while promoting her May 16 Netflix comeback against Gina Carano and claiming the event would outperform anything Harrison has accomplished. Harrison offered an alternative explanation for Rousey’s hostility.
“I think that it would be really hard, I can’t imagine what it would be like for someone to come in and beat everything I’ve ever done. That would be hard. I get it. Imagine hating me and I’m just over here in my backyard feeding chickens. It’s got to be rough.”
Harrison is currently recovering from neck surgery that postponed her planned title defense against Amanda Nunes at UFC 324 in January. She is expected to return before the end of 2026, with that matchup still waiting to be made.