Kayla Harrison beats Juliana Pena to become UFC Bantamweight Champion

Kayla Harrison has now won her 3rd fight in the UFC and in the process become the UFC Champion.  The year Cris Cyborg lost an upset to Amanda Nunes was the same year that Kayla Harrison made her professional MMA debut.  After two successful championships with the Professional Fighters League, Kayla suffered a decision loss to 2x PFL Tournament champion Larissa Pacheco.

Pacheco who fought Kayla twice previously, had both of those first fights occur within 6 months of one another as part of the tournament.  When they faced the third time it allowed Pacheco 3 years to improve, which resulted in a very dominate decision win against Harrison who was heavily favorited to win the trilogy.

Pacheco went on the win her 2nd PFL MMA tournament at 145lbs while Harrison faced Aspen Ladd before refusing to accept an extension that would have given her the fight with Cris Cyborg which she had lobbied so heavily for.  Cyborg would go on to capture her 5th World Championship facing Larissa Pacheco when Kayla ran to the UFC.

Kayla went on to face a 42 year old Holly Holm who had won 1 out of her previous 4 fights.  Harrison went on to defeat Ketlen Vieira in her 2nd fight before defeating Juliana Pena for the UFC Bantamweight belt.  Pena is 3-3 in her last 6 fights.  After the victory Judo Kayla called for Amanda Nunes to enter the cage.  Harrison who infamously ducked Cris Cyborg now appears set to face Amanda Nunes.