PhotoCred: Instagram - @judokayla
Kayla Harrison issues warning to Julianna Pena: “You should be careful, because I don’t play those games”
Reigning PFL women’s lightweight champion and current fighting free agent Kayla Harrison is putting all promotions and champions on notice. After meeting with Bellator MMA and President Scott Coker, Harrison was in attendance for this past weekend’s UFC 269 which saw bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes drop her title to Julianna Pena in what many are considering a shocking upset.
Following Pena’s win over Nunes, who also trains at American Top Team with Harrison, it appeared that any momentum for the reigning PFL champion to join the UFC had been halted, but maybe not just quite yet. Pena did offer an immediate rematch to the long-time champion Nunes, and while UFC President Dana White said that Pena’s upset win might have cost Nunes millions in a super-fight against Harrison, the latter has taken aim at the new champion.
Speaking about Kayla Harrison’s chances against her, the new champion Pena ruffled some feathers when she referred to Harrison’s fighting competition as the “B-leagues” which has now received a fiery response from the PFL champion. Pena also said she’s not paid attention to what Harrison is does because she’s been busy at the top of the UFC.
“I think she’s the lesser of the training partners for her and Amanda Nunes. If that’s the case and I just took out Amanda, I don’t know what kind of position that would put her in. But she’s been fighting in the B-leagues. I’ve been fighting in the UFC, I’ve been fighting at the top of the division. I’m fighting in the biggest league of this sport so I’m not paying too much attention to what she’s doing down there.” (H/T MMA Junkie)
Kayla Harrison did respond to Pena with a quick post on social media, but on Wednesday, she went further in-depth for a response. Making an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour for MMA Fighting, Harrison issued a warning to Pena to watch what she says and who she says it too, because she doesn’t play games like others.
“I think she needs to be careful about what she says and who she says it to… I don’t play those games."@KaylaH responded to Julianna Peña calling her a "B-League fighter" 👀 #TheMMAHour
▶️ https://t.co/qBksFGYxgi pic.twitter.com/MOqW9DOict
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) December 15, 2021
“I think she should be careful. I think she needs to be careful of what she says and who she says it too. I’m not Conor McGregor, I don’t talk shit just to talk shit. I have a lot of respect for her, I think she’s a good fighter but this isn’t a joke. You should be careful cause I don’t play those games, I’m not a league B-league fighter, I’m going to be the best in the world and if you think that’s different, step in the cage with me and find out.”
There might not be an immediate fight on the horizon for her to face Nunes, but as her free agency looms large, the UFC may still be a possibility for Kayla Harrison, especially if the new champion is interested in fighting her.
