Sean Strickland loves Kayla Harrison.
Under the PFL banner, Harrison became an instant sensation. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is now a bona fide superstar after winning the UFC Bantamweight Championship with a stunning second-round victory over Julianna Pena.
Inside the cage, Harrison was an absolute beast, finishing 14 of his 19 opponents. But it’s her appearance outside of the Octagon that Strickland is apparently obsessed with.
“I actually love Kayla Harrison,” Strickland told MMA Junkie. “No, actually, Kayla, guys, please don’t judge me when I say this. But when I see Kayla actually dressed up at a press conference, sometimes I think, ‘Wait a minute.’ Who is that?” “And I was like, ‘Oh, shit, that’s Kayla. I hate myself.’ But Kayla, I love you.” Kayla is a savage. I love Kayla. she is a savage ”
Harrison has not yet booked her first title defense, but it is already known that she will face former two-division champion Amanda Nunes.
Even before Harrison stepped into the Octagon at UFC 316, “The Lioness” announced that she would be coming out of retirement to fight the Olympian. Nunes added fuel to the fire when she entered the cage for a friendly showdown with her former American Top Team teammates.
It remains to be seen when and where the long-awaited matchup between the two men will take place, but it’s already being hyped as one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history, regardless of gender.