Kayla Harrison vehemently denies Julianna Peña’s baseless accusations of using performance-enhancing drugs, emphasizing her clean record and hard work throughout her career.
Kayla Harrison doesn’t care for Julianna Peña or her unfounded accusations.
Known as one of the most brash fighters in all of women’s MMA, Peña once again grabbed headlines for what she said outside of the cage recently instead of her performances inside of it. This time, she accused Harrison of using performance-enhancing drugs.
Peña offered little in the way of evidence to support her claim but remained adamant that there was “no question” Harrison used PEDs. If not now, then previously in her career. Unsurprisingly, Harrison didn’t take kindly to those aspersions.
“It pisses me off,” Harrison said Monday on The MMA Hour. “Number one, it pisses me off because never once have I tested positive for anything, ever, in the history of my very long drug-testing career."
"And number two, don’t f*cking say things like that if you don’t have hard evidence. That’s a serious thing to talk about, to me. I take cheating very seriously."
“I have always competed clean," she continued. "I carry myself to a high standard, and I know that I haven’t always competed against people who were clean."
"But I’m not going to throw accusations out just because I feel like I think they’re not clean. That’s bullshit." She paused before adding, "And I think it’s bullshit because she’s just building in an excuse for when I whoop her ass.”
“So I’m annoyed by it," Harrison admitted. "And at the same time, what a compliment." She smirked slightly before continuing.
"I’m 100 percent natty and you all think I’m on steroids. Because God forbid anyone ever work hard and be disciplined and have a great team around them and have results from that."
"God forbid anyone train from the time they were six years until until the time they’re 34 years old and develop a physique that was built to beat the shit out of people."
"God forbid someone believe in themselves and work hard and succeed," she concluded with frustration evident in her voice. "It’s f*cked up. She’s got to be cheating!”
Of all the fighters to accuse of taking PEDs, Harrison is uniquely well-prepared to defend herself from such claims. A two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, Harrison has been competing and submitting to drug tests for over two decades.
She explained that she first signed up with USADA 22 years ago. “Twelve [years old]. I was in middle school,” Harrison recalled when asked about her drug-testing history.
“I remember it vividly because they went to my middle school and I was actually home sick that day.” She laughed briefly at the memory before continuing.
"I was in the top five on the national roster for judo," she explained further. "And once you enter the top five, you automatically go into USADA’s drug testing pool.”
“I’ve never failed a single test," she emphasized again. "Never had anything."
"I think I’ve had — not a failed test but where you miss [the tester], they come and you’re not [there], maybe two or three times my whole life."
"There was a point where I was getting drug-tested — because you also get drug tested in competition by WADA when you compete on the international circuit — there was a point…"
"In December of 2015 before the Olympics," she detailed further with precision, "where I got drug tested in China, Korea, Japan… then came home and got drug tested again."
"So four times within one month.”
While Peña may view her accusations as simply fight promotion tactics… For Harrison? It’s more than that.
“It pisses me off because I’ve worked really hard my whole life an’ to be an athlete an’ competitor,” Harrison said passionately.
“In my mind," she added with conviction, "we are held to a different standard.”
"I would never make false accusations," she stated firmly. "Because what I say? The public takes it seriously."
"And now it’s going around ’cause Julianna Pena says I’m on steroids." She shook her head slightly before concluding: “To me? It just shows no class.”
One day… Maybe… Harrison might get the opportunity to make Peña pay for her words directly inside the octagon.
The two-time PFL champion made her UFC debut back in April by submitting Holly Holm at UFC 300—an impressive feat! The win immediately inserted Harrison into bantamweight title contention where her sights are currently set.
Should she get there? Well… It’ll be entirely due solely upon sheer hard work alone!
“I just don’t care anymore,” said Harrison finally with resignation yet confidence mixed together perfectly balanced like yin-yang harmony itself…
"I know truth!" She declared proudly smiling wide-eyed full-of-hope-and-dreams-alike…
"And happy with everything accomplished thus far plus whatever future holds too!" And then ending definitively: “And I’ll never fail any damn test!"
"You know why?" Pausing dramatically momentarily…
"’Cause…" Taking deep breath exhaling slowly…
"I don’t f*ckin’ cheat.”