Kayla Harrison, 100% takedown defense in the UFC

Round 2. Ketlen Vieira is behind us, and so are Holly Holm and Julianna Peña: two submissions, same ending. Kayla Harrison doesn't throw punches for show. She chokes fights out until her opponent taps. Now Amanda Nunes is across the cage.

🥊 Quick Stats

Name: Kayla Harrison
Record: 19-1-0
Claim to fame: Former judo champion, 100% takedown defense in the UFC

The High-Five Block

Her last 5 results:

• ✅ Julianna Peña — Submission (R2) UFC 316
• ✅ Ketlen Vieira — Unanimous decision UFC 307
• ✅ Holly Holm — Submission (R2) UFC 300
• ✅ Aspen Ladd — Unanimous decision 2023 PFL World Championship
• ❌ Larissa Pacheco — Unanimous decision 2022 PFL World Championship

Record: 4 wins, 1 loss. Not an unbeaten machine, but one that fixes its aim.

The Origin Story

Kayla Harrison was born on July 2, 1990, in Middletown. Before the cage, there's judo, where she's a former champion. The rest of her childhood isn't something we can verify, so we won't make it up.

No need for a novel, her style speaks for itself. A judoka learns to grab, off-balance and control. MMX stats tag her as a GRAPPLER, and she earned that label. Harrison doesn't just endure fights, she decides where they happen.

Before the UFC, she fought in the PFL. That's where her only career loss came: a unanimous decision to Larissa Pacheco at the 2022 World Championship. A year later, at the same event, she beat Aspen Ladd by unanimous decision. Message received: she takes the slap and comes back sharper.

Three UFC fights, zero losses, two R2 finishes

Her UFC debut looks like a warning shot.

UFC 300: Holly Holm, submission in round 2. For a debut, that's a serious calling card.

UFC 307: Ketlen Vieira, unanimous decision. No finish, but total control. She proved she can also win with patience.

UFC 316: Julianna Peña, submission in round 2. Same script as Holm, same ending.

Three fights, three wins, two finishes. That works out to a 66.7% finish rate.

The wildest part is the volume gap:

Strikes landed/min: ████████ 4.3
Strikes absorbed/min: ██ 1.1

She lands roughly four times as many strikes as she takes. Her striking accuracy is 62.1%, and her defense is 66%. She's not a punching bag. She's a steamroller that keeps a cool head.

Useless Trivia

• She was born on July 2, 1990, in Middletown.
• UFC takedown defense: 100%. Nobody has taken her down yet.
• Her two UFC submission wins (Holm, Peña) both came in the same round: the 2nd.

The MMX Eye

Let's be straight with you. Nunes's stats aren't in my file, so I won't hand you a cardboard verdict. What I can tell you is what Harrison brings to the table.

The key stat: 100% takedown defense. In a fight where both want to control where it happens, that's a huge edge. Harrison can impose the ground, or refuse to be taken there.

Her weak spot is clear: 37.5% takedown accuracy, on 2.8 attempts per 15 minutes. She shoots often and still misses a lot. Against an opponent who defends those entries, she'll need to sharpen her setups instead of just throwing more of them.

Is it safe for your pick? On paper, Harrison's profile inspires confidence: she absorbs little, finishes well and doesn't let herself get pushed around. The scenarios that fit her best are a submission or a decision win built on control, two outcomes she's already shown. But without Nunes's numbers, I wouldn't bet the farm on it. My bar-stool advice: stay cautious, and hold your pick until you've seen both sides.

A judoka turned grappling steamroller, Kayla Harrison wants every fight to play out her way. Do you think she'll win her next fight? Come make your picks and challenge your friends on MMX.

📋 On the same card: Check out all the profiles for UFC 334: Gane vs. Hokit

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