Kayla Harrison misplaced for the primary time in her MMA profession, dropping a call to Larissa Pacheco of their $1 million PFL event remaining. The 2-time Olympic Judo gold medalist dealt with the surprising and “painful” upset fairly nicely, all issues thought-about.
“I clearly simply misplaced my title. That hurts and it’s going to harm for some time,” an emotional Harrison mentioned, tearing up whereas discussing the loss. She additionally thanked her staff for working by the vacations together with her for this bout. “I do know I’ve a very blessed life, so though it hurts, I do know I’m going to comeback stronger.
“It’s completely different (from my losses in Judo) within the sense there’s $1 million on the road. I really feel like I’m the face of the promotion, so I dropped the ball just a little bit. However dropping is dropping, you already know. For me, it’s like I wish to crawl out of my pores and skin. I can’t stand it. It’s painful.”
Whereas Harrison admitted that the loss deeply hurts, she says she doesn’t have any excuses and credited Pacheco for her enhancements.
“I don’t have an excuse. I don’t have a cause,” Harrison continued. “I’ve lots to work on. Failure is my gasoline. Some days you’re the nail and a few days you’re the hammer. I really feel like I’ve been the hammer for some time, and right now I skilled being the nail.”
Harrison didn’t actually have to talk to the media so quickly after the loss, however she defined how that’s a part of her “legacy.”
“I simply assume I discuss lots about legacy, proper?” Harrison mentioned. “My legacy isn’t simply what I do contained in the cage. It’s how I carry myself outdoors the cage. I take into consideration what I need my youngsters to know and I’m not ashamed of myself tonight. I’m proud. I went on the market, I fought and I misplaced. However I can maintain my head excessive and carry myself with dignity and I feel that an actual champion exhibits up within the good occasions and the unhealthy.
“I need youngsters all over the place to know that, ‘pay attention, I fell down tonight. I fell flat on my face. I misplaced in entrance of the entire world, and it hurts and it’s going to harm for some time. However it’s additionally a possibility for progress and alternative for me to turn out to be a greater fighter, a greater individual.’ That’s a part of my legacy, not simply the wins, however what I do in the course of the losses, as nicely.”
After the loss, the now former PFL champion Harrison drops her MMA file to 15-1. Pacheco, however, not solely acquired to avenge her two earlier losses to Harrison, she additionally took residence an additional $1 million for the huge upset.
