UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison may be able to defend an armbar but she’s can’t escape questions about Ronda Rousey.
The two judokas were once roommates in their teenage years training for the Olympics. Rousey, three years older than Harrison, became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in Judo at the 2008 Summer Games. She took home the bronze medal in Beijing. Four years later, at the 2012 Olympics, Harrison won gold. She also won gold in 2016.
In Judo, Rousey was someone Harrison looked up to, but she drew no inspiration from “Rowdy” when it came to mixed martial arts. While Harrison recognizes Rousey’s contributions to women’s MMA, she called into question the quality of Rousey’s competition.
“She paved the way. I’m standing on her shoulders. And for that, I am grateful,” Harrison said on Deep Waters. But that’s where the compliments stopped.
“Dominating women who picked up gloves three years ago at a cardio-kickboxing class and said, ‘I think I’m going to try this.,'” Harrison said about Rousey’s rise and title reign.
When asked about Rousey’s signature armbar, Harrison responded, “We learned the armbar at the same gym together. You think she’s going to armbar me? Don’t be disrespectful.”
Rousey is probably the most well-known American women’s judoka, but Harrison is by far the most accomplished. And she laid out the receipts. Although, Rousey defeated Harrison twice when Harrison was 14 or 15 and Rousey was 17 or 18.
“I don’t want to sound cocky. I’m not. So in judo, there are World Cups, Grand Prix, Grand Slams, and then the World Masters, then the World Championships, then the Olympics,” Harrison explained. “Ronda has an Olympic bronze medal, a world silver medal, and she won a World Cup and medaled at some Grand Prix.”
“I have won every single World Cup, every single Grand Prix, every single Grand Slam. I won the World Masters twice. I won the World Championships and took three bonze medals. And I won the Olympics twice.”