Julianna Pena hasn’t given Kayla Harrison the warmest of welcomes to Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) roster.
UFC 300 was an unforgettable night for all involved. The former two-time Professional Fighters League (PFL) Lightweight champion, Harrison, in particular, picked up the biggest win of her mixed martial arts (MMA) career in her promotional debut. A second round rear-naked choke (watch highlights) against former Bantamweight champion, Holly Holm, couldn’t have gone any better for the two-time Olympic gold medalist in Judo.
Unfortunately for Harrison, another former champion, Pena, wasn’t too impressed and recently accused her of steroid use. Harrison, 34, gave an initial response to Pena but has now expanded on why it annoyed her.
“It pisses me off,” Harrison said on The MMA Hour. “Number one, it pisses me off because never once have I tested positive for anything, ever, in the history of my very long drug-testing career. And number two, don’t f*cking say things like that if you don’t have hard evidence. That’s a serious thing to talk about, to me. I take cheating very seriously.
“I have consistently maintained a fair approach to competition, holding myself to a high standard. While it’s true that I haven’t always faced opponents who adhered to the same standard, I refuse to make baseless accusations solely based on my suspicions. I find it unacceptable to create excuses in advance, as it undermines the integrity of the sport. Instead, I will let my performance speak for itself when I surpass her.”
Harrison expressed his annoyance and simultaneous appreciation, stating, “I find it irritating, yet it’s quite a compliment. I am completely natural, yet everyone assumes I am using steroids. It’s as if no one can fathom the idea of hard work, discipline, and having a supportive team that yields great results. They can’t comprehend the notion of dedicating oneself to training since childhood until adulthood, resulting in a physique that is designed for dominance. It’s disheartening. The only explanation they have is that she must be cheating!”
Harrison remembered her initial encounter with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) when she was just 12 years old, attending middle school. Despite never having failed a test, Harrison admitted that there were a couple of instances in her life where she had inadvertently missed the testers.
Pena, 34, has been sidelined since she lost her title in a rematch with the all-time great, Amanda Nunes, in July 2022 (watch highlights). Harrison has gone 3-1 in her four fights in that period (17-1 overall). The current champion, Raquel Pennington, doesn’t have her first title fight scheduled yet, but Harrison and Pena are atop the list of likeliest first challengers.
Harrison expressed his indifference towards the steroid claims by stating, “I have reached a point where I simply don’t care anymore. I am fully aware of the truth and content with my achievements, both past and future. Rest assured, I will never test positive for any banned substances. Wondering why? It’s quite simple, really—I refuse to engage in any form of cheating.”
