Is Kayla Harrison the UFC’s most jacked female fighter ever? That’s the question that might have crossed every viewer’s mind. She was the PFL lightweight champion in 2019 and 2021, while the promotion had featherweight as the highest weight class for women. So, when the two-time Olympic gold medalist Judoka dropped to bantamweight, many were unsure if she could make the weight.
So far, Harrison has made weight twice — at UFC 300 against Holly Holm, and again at UFC 307 against Ketlen Vieira. However, doubts surface before every fight. She described her last cut as “torture” on The Ariel Helwani Show and said, “It’s one of the hardest things I’ve done in my career,” on Instagram. The concern still looms ahead of her next outing as well.
Kayla Harrison weighs more than every bantamweight at UFC 316 Midweek Check-In
Kayla Harrison, after dominating her last promotion, is now set to face Julianna Pena for the UFC women’s bantamweight title. However, popular X account @DovySimuMMA posted a surprising stat from the UFC 316 midweek check-ins — the former PFL champ weighed in heavier than some male 135ers. She clocked in at 151.8 lbs, while bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili weighed 149 lbs, and Sean O’Malley was just 0.8 lbs heavier at 149.8 lbs.
DovySimuMMA wrote on X, Sean O’Malley: 149.8lbs, Merab: 149lbs, Mario Bautista: 150lbs Patchy Mix: 149.5lbs, Kayla Harrison: 151.8lbs, Kayla Harrison weighs more than every bantamweight man
UFC midweek check ins weight for Bantamweights
Sean O’Malley: 149.8lbs
Merab: 149lbs
Mario Bautista: 150lbs
Patchy Mix: 149.5lbs
Kayla Harrison: 151.8lbs
Kayla Harrison weighs more than every bantamweight man
— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) June 5, 2025
With only a few days left before the bantamweight title fight, it’s shaping up to be another excruciating weight cut for Kayla Harrison. She still needs to drop nearly 16 lbs, and given her extremely muscular build, most of that will have to come from water weight, making it a grueling, draining process. With the weigh-ins fast approaching, all eyes will be on the scale to see how she holds up.
However, Kayla still feels her skill set might be a bit too much for Julianna Pena when they finally square off in this weekend’s co-main event. She didn’t hold back when asked about the matchup, so let’s take a look at what she had to say about her opponent.
Harrison believes she’s better than Julianna Pena everywhere
Julianna Pena shocked the world once by submitting former two-division champ Amanda Nunes at UFC 269—pulling off the biggest upset of 2021. But ‘The Lioness’ came back with a vengeance at UFC 277 and reclaimed her crown. Since then, ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’s return against Raquel Pennington raised a few eyebrows, but she silenced the critics with another solid win at UFC 307. Still, Kayla Harrison believes history won’t repeat itself this time. She’s confident her skillset will put an end to the reigning champ’s run.
The former two-time Olympic gold medalist told Shak MMA, “I think she’s got heart — that’s her best attribute as an athlete. She’s a fighter at her core. But I think I’m better everywhere: better striker, better grappler, better fight IQ. I just need to stick to my game plan and fight smart. It’s not personal for me. She has what I want — I’m about to go get it. She can say whatever she wants. I have a job to do.”
It’s true that Pena might not be the most polished fighter out there, but she’s got guts and heart like no other when it comes to fighting against the odds. She looks for openings and jumps on them. So, Kayla has to be careful dealing with the fire the 135 lbs champ brings. Even though she’s got all the credentials to defeat her opponent and claim the belt.
The build-up to UFC 316’s co-main event has done a solid job of heating up the tension between these two fighters. With all that drama, do you think Kayla Harrison will make weight and walk away with the belt from Julianna Peña? Drop your thoughts below!
The post UFC 316 in Trouble as Kayla Harrison’s Weight Cut Issues Arise; Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili Weigh 15 Lbs Over Limit appeared first on EssentiallySports.