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Kayla Harrison had a harsh introduction to life within the UFC.
The face of the PFL since she started her MMA profession in 2018, Harrison knew she can be in for an adjustment when she modified promotions, however sadly issues went worse than anticipated for the two-time Olympic gold medalist in her first official outing with the promotion. At a UFC 300 Fan Q&A hosted by the UFC this previous weekend, she was confronted by very unruly fans.
“The tradition may be very totally different,” Harrison, who makes her promotional debut towards Holly Holm at UFC 300, instructed Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I simply did my first UFC Q&A final week. … Eye-opening. …
“It was a fan Q&A. At one level there was a fan who got here up and spoke to Arman [Tsarukyan] in Russian, and Arman was getting booed the entire time. We have now talked about it, we’re wonderful, however the man principally requested him what number of occasions would — he requested him a extremely inappropriate query about me. And Arman answered it.”
Harrison stated that she and Tsarukyan, who’s her teammate at American Prime Staff, cleared the air afterward, noting Tsarukyan additionally handled plenty of extraordinarily disrespectful followers throughout the occasion. All in all, it was not the very best first publicity to the promotion’s fan base, and one which hit particularly near residence for Harrison.
“I seem like an fool,” Harrison stated. “I’m up on the stage laughing, and Megan Olivi says, ‘Would you care to translate it?’ And Arman’s like, ‘No, silly query. Transfer on.’ After which subsequent day, I’m tagged in all these Russian retailers with the interpretation of what he requested.
“It’s disheartening. It’s disrespectful. I’m a two-time Olympic champion, I’m a world champion, I’m a mom, I’m an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse, I wrote a ebook, I’ve a basis. So in that sense, it was disrespectful that somebody would ask that query. However greater than that, you’ll by no means hear a feminine get requested, ‘What number of occasions would you may have intercourse with Alex Pereira?’ We don’t sexualize males like that. So it was disheartening.”
In recent times, unlucky UFC fan interactions have seemingly elevated, with UFC commentator Jon Anik suggesting earlier this year that the toxic fanbase might ultimately drive him from the sport (Anik would later walk those comments back). Harrison is of a unique thoughts, saying that she intends to do what she will be able to to alter the tradition to one thing higher for future fighters.
“At first I used to be tremendous embarrassed and shocked by it, however then I used to be like, f*** it, I’m simply going to maintain being me, and I’m going to say one thing about it when the time is correct, as a result of I really feel like that’s flawed,” Harrison stated. “I need to assist change the panorama of the game. Not only for me, however for future feminine fighters. And it was on Worldwide Ladies’s Day, as well! It was irritating.”
“It’s only a totally different beast. And I feel too, I’m realizing this can be a totally different beast. That is the large present, and followers love you or hate you, however you’re going to get much more eyes on this house.”
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