Middletown, Ohio witnessed a heartwarming event on Thursday night as one of its premier athletes, Kayla Harrison, journeyed back to her old high school’s sports center. A sizable crowd, consisting of countless members from the Middletown community, gathered to honor Harrison’s success in the UFC Championship. Earlier in June, at the UFC 316 event, she took home the Women’s Bantamweight Championship by successfully taking down her competitor, Julianna Pena. Adding yet another victory to her UFC record, Harrison further solidified her status as a formidable name among the greats of women’s MMA with an overall record of 19 wins against a single loss.
Harrison, who finished her high school education in Middletown in 2012, is no stranger to international acclaim. In the London 2012 Olympics, she achieved a historic victory by securing a gold medal in Judo. She became the first American, regardless of gender, to earn this honor. Four years later, she demonstrated her sustaining prowess by retaining her Olympic title at the Rio de Janeiro games in 2016.
The entire Middletown community was in attendance at the Wade E. Miller Arena, where Harrison articulated her personal narrative and expressed her gratitude toward her supportive hometown. Her achievements were recognized by the city authorities, awarding her the Key to the City of Middletown for a second time.
Harrison chose to express her gratitude in heartfelt terms. She spoke about her journey, which, while fulfilling, had its share of challenges. ‘I am sincerely grateful, even for the hardships I encountered along this path,’ Harrison explained, ‘These trials shaped me into the woman I have become today. I owe much of my success to my fans from Middletown, and I hope to give back to this community even a fraction of what it has given to me’.
Attendees at the event were treated to a personal interaction with the champion. Harrison remained long after her speech, ensuring she connected with every single fan that waited to meet her. A circuit of fans had formed around the arena, eager to have their pictures taken with the star, or get her autograph. Harrison embraced this, meeting each fan with genuine enthusiasm.
During her interactions, she shared her aspirations, not just for herself, but for the world of women’s fighting sports. ‘I am striving to become the greatest of all time,’ Harrison admitted, ‘However, my greatest wish is to see another woman stand on my accomplishments and surpass my records. That’s the legacy I yearn to leave’.
On a more combative note, Harrison’s engaged the crowd as she brought up the prospect of a competition with Amanda Nunes, the two-time UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, and ex-UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion. This much-anticipated face-off could establish a new pinnacle in the history of women MMA. It is expected that the thrilling match-up will take place before the current year closes.