Julianna Pena: Kayla Harrison delivers stirring tribute to mothers before showdown with Julianna Pena

Kayla Harrison recently paid tribute to mothers and shined a light on the sacrifices made ahead of her clash against Julianna Pena. Harrison expressed her gratitude to other mothers and noted that they shouldn't be discouraged from achieving their goals.

Harrison is scheduled to challenge Pena for her women's bantamweight championship at UFC 316 this Saturday. It is a significant bout for her as she has an opportunity to add a UFC championship to her impeccable resume that includes two Olympic gold medals and a PFL championship.

The winner can also potentially compete in a lucrative bout against former champion Amanda Nunes, who has hinted about coming out of retirement.

In her latest appearance on 'UFC on Sky', Harrison delivered a stirring tribute to mothers and the role they play in their households.

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Harrison, who is also a single mother, hoped that her title victory would become an inspiration to all mothers to pursue their dreams. She said:

"I want this to be a reminder to, first of all, I want it to be a reminder to moms. Like, hey, you don't have to give up on your dreams just because you have kids. You can still go out there and be a bada**. And I want it to be a reminder to young girls, like, there's no dream that's too big. There's nothing out of reach for you if you believe in yourself and you surround yourself with people who believe in you."

Check out Kayla Harrison's comments below (13:58):

Kayla Harrison aspires to set an example for fans with potential UFC title reign

Kayla Harrison also hopes to set a good example for fans should she dethrone Julianna Pena to become women's bantamweight champion at UFC 316.

In the aforementioned appearance, Harrison said:

"For the fans, I want them to know that you can be a role model and a champion in MMA and carry yourself. I hope I help more people fall in love with the sport. And, I do it for me, but that would be the best outcome." [14:28]

Check out the official UFC 316 promo featuring Kayla Harrison below:

About the author

Giancarlo Aulino is an MMA news writer and interviewer at Sportskeeda. Having been onboard since 2021, Aulino has written list articles, before transitioning to MMA news writing.

In addition to writing at Sportskeeda, Aulino can be heard on VIBE 105.5FM in Toronto, Canada, where he conducts interviews called 'VIBEtalks.' Aulino's segments have featured many respected athletes, broadcasters, and celebrities. In 2024, Aulino, along with his VIBE 105 Sports team members, rebranded their content to The Game Plan 'TGP'.

In addition to MMA, Aulino was previously a pro wrestling writer and soccer (Football) reporter and covered Toronto FC (Major League Soccer) and York United FC (Canadian Premier League).

Follow him on Twitter: @Gian_411

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Edited by Tejas Rathi