The Olympic legacy in MMA is rare territory, and even rarer inside the UFC. And as history witnessed, Kayla Harrison became the UFC women’s bantamweight champion, adding another feather to her cap. For all the weight she cut and the wars she walked into, “Doug” doesn’t need to say much to make headlines.
A few hours removed from capturing the UFC women’s bantamweight title at UFC 316, the former Olympic judoka has found herself in rare air, not just as a champion, but as one of the few to transition from Olympic greatness to UFC gold. The only other name in that club is the legendary Henry Cejudo.
Harrison’s double-gold Olympic pedigree has always been a defining part of her career narrative. But now, with a dominant showing against Julianna Peña and a UFC title to her name, the gold medalist has shot herself to the upper echelon of the MMA world.
Kayla Harrison’s Remark Puts Olympic Feat in Perspective
The new champ recently took to her X (formerly Twitter) and noted that she has achieved a rare feat inside the Octagon. Harrison noted that she is only the second person to have an Olympic Gold Medal and a UFC Championship belt, alongside Henry Cejudo.
“Only one of us has two,” she wrote.
Only one of us has two. 😉 🏅🏅 https://t.co/KnmgWL04X0
— Kayla Harrison Official (@KaylaH)
Harrison famously won gold in judo at the 2012 London Olympics when she defeated Great Britain’s Gemma Gibbons, becoming the first American ever to do so in the sport. She returned four years later to beat France’s Audrey Tcheuméo in Rio and cement her legacy as a two-time Olympic champion before turning to MMA.
And now with a dominant showing against Julianna Peña and a UFC title to her name, comparisons to the former champion Cejudo have really raised the bar for her.
While both Cejudo and Harrison now share the dual credential of Olympic and UFC glory, their paths were vastly different. Cejudo’s career centered on freestyle wrestling, and he captured UFC titles at flyweight and bantamweight, briefly holding champ-champ status. Harrison, meanwhile, built her legacy in judo, then transitioned to MMA via the PFL, before making her long-awaited UFC debut in a high-profile title fight.
With this title win, Harrison’s resume now spans PFL dominance, Olympic greatness, and a UFC championship, something no other female fighter has achieved.