michael j. babcock

I talked to Kayla Harrison Official in October 2016, just two months after she won her second Olympic gold medal and retired from judo, the sport she dominated for years. Kayla, missing competition, was mulling getting into MMA — but she made it crystal clear she'd only go into the sport if she could be the best. "I will only do MMA if I really truly believe that I can be the best in the world at it. I don't want to be in anybody's shadow. I don't want to be second to anyone. I'm gonna do it if I'm gonna be the best in the world. Period." 8 years & 7 months later, after a dominant UFC 316 performance over Julianna Pena, Harrison is undoubtedly the best in the world. Promise kept.