Kayla Harrison demolishes Julianna Peña with a dominant second-round kimura submission over Julianna at UFC 316 co-main event, calling out Amanda Nunes next.
Kayla Harrison demolishes Julianna Peña via Submission. The co-main event at UFC 316 featured a hard-fought matchup between Women’s Bantamweight fighters Kayla Harrison and Julianna Peña, where Harrison demolished Peña via submission.
In the co-main event of UFC 316, Harrison submitted former champion Julianna Peña in the second round to claim the Women’s Bantamweight title.
Just a few days ago, UFC Bantamweight Champion Peña made it known that she doesn’t believe a win at UFC 316 would earn her any respect. She expressed frustration about rarely receiving praise from fellow champions, despite being a two-time titleholder and having defeated former champion Amanda Nunes. Determined to go all out for this fight, she admitted she wasn’t sure if the win would bring her the respect she sought, but she was ready to fight regardless.
Both Peña and Harrison entered the octagon with the intention of making a strong impression. The two-round bout was action-packed, heartfelt, and intense. Kayla Harrison entered the octagon first—energetic, focused, and clearly prepared. One could tell she was ready to give it her all.
The fight started off with a sharp leg kick from Harrison. She controlled early with a series of incisive blows. Harrison dominated the center of the cage, pushing forward, while Peña remained patient and refrained from rushing in. In the first round, Harrison effortlessly took Peña down.
Peña successfully defended against Harrison’s early takedown attempt as they crashed into the fence. With plenty of time left in the round, Harrison maintained her resolve and took Peña to the mat after a brief scramble, even though Peña had initially blocked the first trip attempt.
Peña continued to punch from the bottom, recovering half guard and eventually full guard. On top, Harrison stuck to a smart, grinding game plan—landing a few good strikes while avoiding unnecessary risks.
Harrison got back to her feet and landed a clean, straight left, followed by a sharp inside leg kick. She pushed Peña toward the fence, landed another strong kick, and closed the distance again.
They battled for under hooks against the cage. Harrison fired once more—though Peña initially defended, Harrison’s persistence paid off. She dragged Peña back down and began landing quick elbows and ground strikes, chipping away steadily.
Harrison shrugged off Peña’s takedown attempt, seeing it as a tactic to slow the pace. Peña tried to stand again, but Harrison smothered her, managed her movement expertly, and transitioned to her back. At one point, she looked for an arm-triangle but changed tactics.
In the second round, Harrison locked in a deep kimura. Peña couldn’t withstand the pressure any longer—at 4:55 into the second round, she tapped. Harrison had secured a dominant victory by submission.
Despite the result, Peña embraced Harrison afterward, offering hugs and a prayer. It was a beautiful moment following a tough and emotional fight between two warriors.
In the post-fight interview, Harrison thanked her family and delivered an emotional message, encouraging anyone on the verge of giving up to keep pushing. She revealed that she almost gave up on Thursday. It was a heartfelt moment that added depth to her impressive win.
