Kayla Harrison's Dominant Victory at UFC 316

Kayla Harrison showcased her exceptional skills in a dominant performance against Julianna Pena at UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey. Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo gold medalist, controlled the fight from start to finish, ultimately securing a victory with a kimura submission in the second round.

A Career-Defining Moment

This victory adds a UFC championship to Harrison's impressive resume, which already includes two Olympic judo gold medals and PFL world titles. In her post-fight interview, Harrison revealed the emotional struggles she faced during her weight cut, nearly quitting just days before the fight.

Overcoming Adversity

"This is for anyone who's ever felt hopeless, who's wanted to quit, who's wanted to give up. On Thursday I wanted to quit, I wanted to give up," Harrison said. "I'm referring to 135lb - only God can get that last pound off me, I'm not strong enough. You have to go to a bad place and the only way through is to have surrender and have faith."

A Potential Superfight with Amanda Nunes

Following her victory, Harrison faced off with former double champion Amanda Nunes, who confirmed her return from retirement to challenge for the belt. Nunes, a former training partner of Harrison, is widely regarded as the greatest women's mixed martial artist of all time.

Inspiring Single Mothers

Harrison also dedicated her win to single mothers, sharing her personal journey of adopting her niece and nephew after the sudden death of her stepfather. "This is for all the mums, especially the single mums. I know it's hard, I know what it feels like to be punished but you're not - you're being positioned. You have a place in those children's lives," she said.

Main Event: Dvalishvili's Continued Dominance

In the main event, Georgia's Merab Dvalishvili retained his bantamweight title with a third-round submission victory over Sean O'Malley. Dvalishvili's relentless grappling proved too much for O'Malley, extending his winning streak to 13 consecutive fights.

Undercard Highlights

On the undercard, former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix suffered a unanimous decision defeat in his UFC debut against Mario Bautista. Bautista extended his winning streak to eight, while Mix faced his second defeat in 22 bouts.

Looking Ahead

With this victory, Kayla Harrison solidifies her place as a top contender in the UFC and sets the stage for a potential superfight with Amanda Nunes, promising to be one of the biggest women's title bouts in UFC history.