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PFL's Kayla Harrison talks Invicta debut, cutting to 145 and parenting as tougher than fighting

Professional Fighters League lightweight champion Kayla Harrison goes 1-on-1 with Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole and explains her decision to fight for Invicta at 145 pounds.

Video Transcript

KEVIN IOLE: Hey, folks. I am Kevin Iole. Welcome back. And if you were paying attention to the most recent Invicta show, you will recognize this face. Kayla Harrison, the double gold medalist, wow, what a performance. I think Kayla Harrison likes to throw elbows we found out.

KAYLA HARRISON: Oh, my goodness.

KEVIN IOLE: Congrats on the win, and welcome. I appreciate you.

KAYLA HARRISON: Thank you for having me. Yeah, elbows-- elbows make it different.

KEVIN IOLE: Yeah, you know, as great as you looked in the PFL and winning the title, I thought, wow, man, how much more dangerous do you look with those elbows. How do you think it changes, you know, tactically the way people fight when you can throw those elbows as opposed to the PFL rules where you can't?

KAYLA HARRISON: I mean, well, it's just-- it definitely-- it favors a-- you know, a top fighter, someone who you-- it favors my game. I mean, let's be honest. You know, get in, you know, hit a couple times. Don't get hit. Take them down. Ground and pound. Look for submission. I mean, elbows really favor my style.

And I didn't-- I had never really thrown one until a couple of weeks ago. You know, Mike and I had talked about it a lot. He's like, you know, they cut really easy. You know, it's the cuts that you-- that's what's going to do damage. I mean, I had never made anyone bleed before this fight, literally. Like, I don't think-- it actually was kind of frustrating to me. Like, I would always see my opponents after our fights, and no one has any bruises or damage or, like-- I'm like, it looks like I'm hitting you hard. I just-- there's nothing happening. Like, what's going on here?

So the cut with the elbows really-- I'm excited for it, you know? I mean, that sounds messed up. Like, obviously I don't want to hurt people.

KEVIN IOLE: Right.

KAYLA HARRISON: I just want to win.

KEVIN IOLE: That changed the whole dynamic of fighting you when you have that because that is something that people have to defend against.

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah.

KEVIN IOLE: Is that a-- is that a weapon to have? I mean, that was a--

KAYLA HARRISON: Oh my goodness, yes. Yes.

KEVIN IOLE: What was it-- you know, so you're obviously under contract to the PFL. They kind of loaned you out to fight in Invicta. What was the thought process? You know, were you just getting antsy that you weren't able to fight? Like, how was it that you came to make-- not a lot of PFL fighters have done that. A few have. Can you explain your process, how that worked?

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah. I mean, I basically-- you know, I just-- I have to be careful what I say here just, like, legally. But I just said, you know, I'm not-- there's no way I can afford to take a year off in the prime of my career. It's not like I've been fighting for 10 years and this is, you know, it is-- like this is a very crucial, pivotal time in my career, and I-- athletes in general have a very short window, but I think MMA athletes specifically, you never know what's going to happen. You never know when that clock is going to hit you and you just stop progressing and you stop performing at the highest level because it happens to all of us.

And I've already put my body through so much wear and tear through the years of, you know, my Olympic journey, and judo is no fun on the body. So I was like there's just-- I've got all this momentum going. Like, why-- I can't stop right now.

So I was hellbent on having a fight this year. I mean, in my mind I was supposed to fight four times. So I was like, there's just no way I cannot fight this year. So I pushed.

You know, really I have to give credit to my manager, Ali, because he really-- you know, I told him this is what I want to do. I can't-- I can't sit on the sidelines while everyone else is competing and getting better. Like, that just really burned me. So he fought tooth and nail, and he hustled, and he-- I mean, even, like-- he had to, like, pay Courtney King out of his pocket, you know, an extra $5,000, which I didn't know until after the fight. Like, and no one wanted to fight at 155, so that's why I had to fight at 145. I mean, a lot went into making this happen, and I'm just so grateful that it got done-- so, so grateful.

KEVIN IOLE: You know the one thing I wonder about you, you know-- I was there in Rio when you fought in the Olympics, and you are a big woman. And you have a lot of fat on you. And so to get down and go to 145, it's like-- I mean, I think 155 is a tough weight cut for you. I mean, how was that 145 cut?

KAYLA HARRISON: Surprisingly not as bad as I thought. But, I mean, it's no secret I don't believe in cutting weight. I think it sends a terrible message to kids. I think that it's super dangerous in our sport specifically getting punched in the head after dehydrating your body of water when water is the thing that protects it. So not a fan.

But I think I kind of had a choice to make. You know, it was either get off my high horse and suck it up and cut the 15 pounds or, you know, sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else compete and, you know, not feed my family now.

You know, I have choices to make too. I mean, I have to make sacrifices. I have-- it's not just about me anymore. And obviously it's going to be a better-- there's going to be more opportunity for me at 145. I think I know that. I think everybody knows that. It doesn't mean I'm happy about it. It doesn't mean I'm going to enjoy it. It doesn't mean it was pretty. Like, it sucked. It's not-- I was very disciplined, though. I was proud of the way I was a professional about it. You know, I got down to walking around at about 153 pounds.

I mean, I was a grump. Like, I was a total-- like, don't come anywhere near me during that time, which just like-- I don't know how people actually live like that. When I cut to 155, I eat as much as I want. I clean it up, but I eat as much as I want. You know, there's no, like, portion control or anything like that. So thinking about people who literally control their portions every day of their life just, like, to look good or like-- I'm like, are you guys crazy? What's going on with you? Like, this is terrible. This is no way to live. No way.

KEVIN IOLE: You are not, you know, a person that has a lot to give, right? So that makes it tougher. It's almost like you're losing muscle when you're cutting.

KAYLA HARRISON: I definitely lost some muscle, I feel like, for this fight. I was like-- I just didn't-- it was different too because I obviously have a little bit more stress going on in my life. So when the pandemic hit, I was still training but only once a day. And because I was only training once a day, I feel like I did lose muscle just naturally. I started to get down to about 160, 158-ish.

Plus I have the kids now, so trying to be a good influence with them. And, you know, we're eating our vegetables. We're eating our healthy, healthy foods. Changed my-- I mean, I don't eat super healthy when I'm not getting ready for a fight. I just kind of eat what I-- I feel like I'm so--

KEVIN IOLE: [INAUDIBLE]

KAYLA HARRISON: --so strict with everything else in my life that food is kind of the one thing where I'm like, if I want to have a cookie, like, I'm going to-- you know, I'm going to have a cookie. So that helped bring my weight down.

But then when I started training twice again-- twice a day again for the fight, my weight bumped up again. And I was like, oh God. We're going the opposite direction of where we're supposed to be going.

KEVIN IOLE: Muscle.

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah, the muscles. Man, I just-- I don't know what it is, but my body packs on muscle like it's so-- it's not normal for sure. It's crazy.

KEVIN IOLE: You referenced a couple of times, you know, that it's not about you anymore and you have the kids. So you are now--

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah.

KEVIN IOLE: --the guardian of your sister's children.

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah.

KEVIN IOLE: And it's really an amazing story what you're doing. Just give us a little-- I don't want to get too personal, but give us a little bit about what you decided to do. So you've had your niece and nephew since the spring, right?

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah, since about May. You know, it was-- obviously I'm very close to my family, you know, been a part of their lives-- not to this capacity-- for a long time.

But they were in the care of my mother and her husband. And last year right before my finals fight, my mom had a stroke. So her health was in jeopardy. She-- you know, she's making a great recovery. She's doing great. Things are good. But obviously--

KEVIN IOLE: [INAUDIBLE]

KAYLA HARRISON: Yes, so thankful for that. Obviously, not at the same capacity as she was. She's still-- she's still on the mend. And then in May, very suddenly, unfortunately, her husband passed away, and he was really the rock. You know, he was taking care of all of them. And a seven-year-old and a two-year-old are just a little bit too much for my mom to handle. They're almost too much for me to handle on my own.

[LAUGHS]

So yeah. So Kyla, my niece, and Emery, my nephew, came down to Florida with me, and I became their guardian. And, you know, it has been such a blessing for me personally. I think that I'm doing a good job, and I hope that I'm molding them and changing their lives for the better, but I know without a doubt that they have-- I mean, they've changed my life.

You know, I did not-- I am very-- I had a very selfish lifestyle. You know, it was--

KEVIN IOLE: Right.

KAYLA HARRISON: It was very, you know, show up, train, go home, eat, hang out with my dogs, go train again. It was very boring, and it was very empty. It was, and I didn't really know it. And now it's like-- well, I mean, I don't love the waking up at 6:00 AM every day, even with no school. That part is a little rough on me. But other than that, it's just been-- it's been a blast.

So my mom comes down, like, every two weeks to see them, and she was with them while I was at my fight. So [? Lovie's ?] still, you know, a big part of their life, and it's going-- I think it's going really good. It's [INAUDIBLE]

KEVIN IOLE: You know, they always say, Kayla, that fighting is the most selfish sport, right, because like you describe, you know, you have to do everything to get yourself ready to go into that combat and do everything.

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah.

KEVIN IOLE: So when you have-- now you're responsible for other lives, and that changed it. Like, you know, there's people that have had their own children and have had that all along, but you get it, like, suddenly. All of a sudden, you know, it changes your life. Mentally, what was the impact that that had on you?

KAYLA HARRISON: You know, at first-- I'm not going to lie to you-- I was extremely overwhelmed. I was-- yeah. I think I was just-- I was overwhelmed. I was scared, scared [BLEEP] you know? And I felt-- for a little bit there, I felt like, oh my God. I went from being one of the baddest women on the planet, and now I'm changing 15 diapers a day. Like, who am I even, you know? And that was why it was so important for me to get a fight as well, just to feel like myself again a little bit.

But then I realized very quickly, like, the baddest thing-- baddest-- the best thing you can ever do is change these kids' lives. Like, this is--

KEVIN IOLE: Right.

KAYLA HARRISON: This is it. Like, I thought that winning an Olympic gold medal was hard. I thought that getting in a cage was hard. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Like, parents now have my like, utmost-- like, they're like bad asses. I salute all of them. Good parents I guess I should say. Some people shouldn't be parents.

But it's like the hardest job in the world for sure, hands down, but it's also the most rewarding job in the world. And it's-- I don't know. It's given me a new newfound sense of purpose, a newfound drive, and a really healthy balance in my life.

KEVIN IOLE: I wonder-- you know, so you say good parents. So has it changed your relationship with your mom? I know she's been sick, right, but the fact that you now know what she did for you and what she-- you know, especially given your Olympic journey, right?

KAYLA HARRISON: No, our relationship is better than it's ever been. You know, she raised a very stubborn woman in me, and we don't always see eye to eye on everything. And, you know, I moved away from home when I was 16, so it was hard for me. We just were never really on the same page.

But this has really, like-- oh my gosh. Like, it is the hardest job in the world, and raising kids is terrifying and overwhelming.

And it's one thing when, like-- you know, I used to be the fun aunt, right? Like I used to just like load them up with sugar and teach them bad words let them stay up late and then like, all right, like, have fun. See you later, you know? Kayla got to go.

And now I'm the one that has to say, like, no, you have to eat your broccoli. No, you can't play on your iPad for 17 hours. No, you know, like, you have to be the disciplinarian.

KEVIN IOLE: Right.

KAYLA HARRISON: And at first I struggled with that. Like, I was a little bit resentful about it because I don't like to be-- I want to be fun, you know? I want to-- but I realized, like, being a good parent or good guardian, you know, it's not my kid's job to love me or be my friend. It's my job to love my kid and do what's best for them, even if they don't like it.

And that's been a hard lesson for me, but it's-- I don't know. It's just made me a better person. It's made-- I feel like it's making the kids-- I don't know. Obviously a lot of hardship has happened in my life and my family's life, and it has not been an easy road. But, you know, when I was a kid, I would always question, why did this happen? Why this? Why that? Why? Why? Why?

And now that I'm older and, I guess, wiser, I realize that everything does happen for a reason, you know? And, God, my mom has just been through so much. You know, she's buried two loves of her lives. You know, she's had a daughter who's been through some tough stuff. Her other daughter is still battling, you know, tough stuff. She's been-- she's had a stroke. Like, she's just-- she's been through so, so much. And I guess I get my fighting spirit from her, you know?

KEVIN IOLE: Obviously you're an inspiration to people who hear your story and see what's going on. Do you plan to share it more widely? Like, are you going to write a book? Are you going to-- people talk to you about a movie? I mean, an Olympic gold medalist then becoming a fighting world champion and then, you know, doing everything you're doing, I mean, to me I would think that that's a book or a movie for sure.

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah. I mean, I wrote an educational book about my history, you know, for people to really educate themselves on what child sexual abuse is and try and start having that conversation more regularly in our society. But in terms of, like-- there's the little one.

KEVIN IOLE: I hear it.

[LAUGHTER]

KAYLA HARRISON: But I guess-- I mean, I would be OK with it, but it's definitely-- I'm not-- listen, I've got enough on my plate right now. It's not like I'm out there looking like, hey, you want to make a movie about me? Hey, [INAUDIBLE].

[LAUGHTER]

KEVIN IOLE: Who would play Kayla, by the way? Who would you want to play Kayla?

KAYLA HARRISON: Oh my God. I don't know. I'm not good at this game. Who? I don't know. I have no idea who would play Kayla.

KEVIN IOLE: OK.

KAYLA HARRISON: The biggest actress in Hollywood is probably the answer, whoever's like--

KEVIN IOLE: I was going to say Gal Gadot because she was Wonder Woman, right? But--

KAYLA HARRISON: Oh, yeah. She's bad ass for sure. She should have it a little more jacked, though, in my opinion. She should have-- she should have been hitting the weights more. No, I'm just kidding. Anyways.

KEVIN IOLE: Well, I'll let-- I know you've got some stuff going on there, so let's roll this. Just two more questions. Number one, what is the situation in terms of fighting? Are you going to come back again, or are you going to just-- the PFL season is beginning, what, in April now as I understand?

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah, the PFL season starts in April, and I'm going to fulfill my contractual duties with them. So I'm going to fight one more season. But in between now and then, I'd like to fight one more time. We worked that out, so I'm very happy about that, thankful to the PFL for allowing that to happen.

I'm not sure where yet, maybe Invicta, maybe somewhere else. Hopefully not at 145 pounds. We're getting close to Christmas now, OK? We don't want me to be a real Grinch.

And yeah, so I'm going to fight one more time so at least I get two fights this year, and then I'm going go win that mill again.

KEVIN IOLE: I guess I know the reason why, but maybe some people who don't follow it like I do don't know the reason why. When the PFL let you go out and fight, why didn't UFC call you and say, hey, we would like to have you fight a couple fights? Did you ever consider that?

KAYLA HARRISON: I-- no. I mean, I don't know if I'm-- I will not fight for any other big organizations this year.

KEVIN IOLE: OK. Sounds fair enough. I kind of got-- Kayla, I know you've got a lot going on in your life, and--

KAYLA HARRISON: [INAUDIBLE]

KEVIN IOLE: --I appreciate the time you gave me. Congratulations on the win. That was an awesome fight, awesome performance by you first time at 145. And I wish you nothing but the best, not only in the cage but as mom Kayla.

KAYLA HARRISON: Yeah, give me-- I need more help outside of the cage. In the cage, I've got that covered. So, like, send me good vibes to be a good mom, all right? Patience. That's what I need to learn is patience.

KEVIN IOLE: Patient Kayla, be there. Kayla, thank you so much.

KAYLA HARRISON: Thank you.