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Kayla Harrison made an indelible mark on UFC in just her third match in the organization.
Harrison defeated Julianna Peña on Saturday night at UFC 316 via submission to win UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship and potentially set up an epic match against Amanda Nunes.
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Kayla Harrison celebrates with President Donald Trump after his victory against Julianna Pena in UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship Bout during the UFC 316 event at the Prudential Center on June 7, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Michelle Farsi/Zuffa LLC)
When Harrison celebrated the victory, she stepped outside Octagon and greeted President Donald Trump. The two embraced with the fighter plane appears to be in shock. Trump was present for the matches that took place at the Prudenial Center in Newark, New Jersey.
“The president of the United States gives me a kiss on my cheek, and I’m like, holy (cow),” Harrison said after the match. “And then Mike Tyson is right there! I’m like, I’m in a movie right now? What’s going on?”
Now Harrison seems to be on his way to a mega match against Nunes.
Nunes left the title of 135 pounds as she retired from the sport in 2023. She is not currently in UFC’s drug test pool and will have to complete six months of random drug testing before she can fight again.
President Donald Trump congratulates Kayla Harrison after winning her woman’s bantamweight match against Julianna Pena during the UFC-316 Mixed Martial Arts Event at the Prudential Center on Saturday, June 7, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Manuel Ceneta)
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“We definitely want to see each other in the future,” Nunes told Harrison.
Harrison was a two-time Olympic gold medal in judo before turning her attention to mixed martial arts. She debuted in MMA in 2018 in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and quickly became one of the best female warriors of the organization.
She was PFL Women’s Lightweight Champion in 2019 and 2021.
Kayla Harrison is at President Donald Trump after her victory against Julianna Pena in UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship Bout under the UFC 316 event at the Prudential Center on June 7, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Michelle Farsi/Zuffa LLC)
Harrison’s victory over Peña marked its third in the UFC. She has already defeated Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira.
