Kayla Harrison responds to Ronda Rousey’s callout with a challenge of her own

Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC

Kayla Harrison has never been one to shy away from a challenge.

Ronda Rousey hasn’t held back from voicing her frustrations with the UFC and its leadership as she gears up for her return to MMA on May 16.

The title Rousey once held now belongs to Kayla Harrison, and comparisons between the two judokas have been ongoing for years.

But that doesn’t mean they’re aligned. Harrison’s recent comments about Rousey’s comeback made it clear there are differences between them.

Kayla Harrison calls out Ronda Rousey after heated press conference exchange

Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

During a press conference on Tuesday, Ronda Rousey addressed Kayla Harrison’s criticism of her upcoming MMA fight at the Intuit Dome.

The pay-per-view event will mark Rousey’s first professional fight since her loss to Amanda Nunes in December 2016.

Harrison then gave a simple reply to the former UFC champion, who has a history of making bold statements in front of the media.

Both fighters have strong personalities and don’t shy away from speaking their minds. There are other links between them besides their judo backgrounds and success in MMA.

It isn’t surprising to see public comments like this given the personalities of both fighters.

Their backgrounds in judo and accomplishments in MMA are just part of what connects these two American athletes.

The three-year age gap between them was significant due to the difference in experience levels at the time. In 2005, Rousey defeated Harrison at the U.S. Judo Championships, with the experience gap playing a role due to their age difference.

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