The celebration for Kayla Harrison`s recent championship triumph is now officially in full swing.
Following her dominant performance on Saturday at UFC 316, where she secured the UFC women`s bantamweight title via a second-round submission victory over Julianna Peña, the two-time Olympic judo gold medalist made a triumphant return to her training home, American Top Team (ATT), on Monday. There, she was greeted with a hero`s welcome befitting her new status as a UFC champion.
As one of the most renowned and successful gyms in mixed martial arts, ATT is home to a multitude of champions and top-tier fighters. Harrison`s arrival was met with cheers and embraces from numerous teammates and prominent figures from the MMA world training there, including current UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja and former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier. Harrison, already a two-time PFL champion, visibly exuded joy and pride in adding another prestigious championship belt to the gym`s collection.
An emotional Harrison shared her excitement with her teammates, exclaiming, “Yes, baby!!! We did it!” as she moved through the gym, exchanging hugs.
However, the journey for the new champion is far from over. Kayla Harrison is already scheduled for her first title defense. The highly anticipated bout will see her face off against former American Top Team teammate Amanda Nunes, who is coming out of retirement for this superfight clash.
