The UFC 307 press conference witnessed a fiery exchange between Kayla Harrison and Ketlen Vieira. Harrison faced off in a verbal battle against Vieira, building anticipation for her bout against the #2 ranked bantamweight. Here is what happened:
Vieira came after Kayla Harrison at the pre-fight press conference. Vieira is not one to trash talk that much. That is because she would usually talk through a translator. But this time, the Brazilian did not hold herself back and got personal with the former PFL champion.
Listen, it’s going to be really hard looking at your ugly face for me. It’s going to be OK when you look in the mirror.
Kayla Harrison at UFC 307 press conference
Harrison came into the UFC with considerable hype due to her two Olympic gold medals and success in the PFL. However, she is already aiming for a title shot in the UFC. To get there, Harrison is scheduled to fight Vieira at UFC 307. This is a significant bout as Vieira is ranked just above her in the division.
Ketlen Vieira did Kayla Harrison DIRTY 😭😭😭
“It’s gonna be really hard looking at your ugly face.”#UFC307 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/Gfcczm8kGI
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 3, 2024
A win could fast-track Harrison to a title opportunity against the reigning champion. After confidently stating she was the “uncrowned queen” of the division, Harrison vowed to not only “smash” Vieira but also take the UFC women’s bantamweight title.
Kayla Harrison puts all the UFC women’s divisions on alert
The most notable moment came toward the end of the press conference. Ketlen Vieira and Julianna Peña criticized Harrison’s fast rise and questioned whether she deserved to fight for the title so soon. Vieira, in particular, insinuated that Harrison had unfairly “skipped the line.”
She was alluding to Harrison’s limited experience in the UFC compared to other contenders. This led to Harrison daring anyone to prove her wrong in the octagon. She took up the mic and highlighted what she believes makes her different from the other fighters in the women’s bantamweight division.
I come here and they complain… But if this was my division and I was champion, I’d say ‘come the f*** over and I’ll show you who is champion
Kayla Harrison at UFC 307 press conference
She’s here to set the record straight! 😤@KaylaH | #UFC307 pic.twitter.com/nbReElkEju
— UFC (@ufc) October 3, 2024
Harrison has won two Olympic gold medals in judo (2012, 2016) and became a two-time PFL lightweight champion. She made a notable debut in the UFC earlier this year. Harrison jumped right into the deep end, facing former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm at UFC 300. The former PFL star secured a second-round submission victory that immediately pushed her into the top ranks, debuting at #11 in the women’s pound-for-pound rankings.
