Pe\u00f1a getting \u201creally, seriously hurt.\u201d<\/a> The trash talk ratcheted up once they were booked to fight at UFC 316 with Pe\u00f1a accusing Harrison of abusing steroids among other baseless claims during the mudslinging sessions to promote the event.<\/p>\nIn the end, Harrison got the last laugh after she snatched a fight-ending kimura in the second round that forced Pe\u00f1a to tap out, making Harrison the new UFC bantamweight champion. Moments after winning the belt, Harrison embraced Pe\u00f1a and they shared a prayer together, which was a cathartic moment that gave Harrison newfound perspective on one of her most heated rivals.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely said that I wouldn\u2019t be friends with her but I think I was wrong,\u201d Harrison told MMA Fighting when addressing her feelings towards Pe\u00f1a. \u201cI\u2019m woman enough to admit when I\u2019m wrong, I say I\u2019m wrong.<\/p>\n
\u201cSharing that prayer was really powerful. I just wanted to go pray for her but when she prayed for me, that was a really telling moment for me. Like she\u2019s a sportswoman. She sold this fight. She did what she had to do and I respect that. Actually, I had a lot of fun, too. It\u2019s definitely the most trash talk and the most tension I\u2019ve ever really had in a fight and I enjoyed that. I had fun. I think she\u2019s cool. She\u2019s legit. I\u2019m cool with Julianna.\u201d<\/p>\n
Truth be told, Harrison effectively let whatever animosity had built up between them expire as soon as Pe\u00f1a tapped and she became a UFC champion.<\/p>\n
That was always her primary goal and Pe\u00f1a just happened to be the person holding the belt when Harrison earned her title shot. If anything, Harrison says she actually held Pe\u00f1a in high regard going into the fight and that forced her to make some adjustments once they were actually in the cage together.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do think if I take anything away from this fight, it\u2019s to remember who the \u2018F\u2019 I am,\u201d Harrison said. \u201cNot that I was listening to the outside noise but I was like, \u2018Oh yeah, this girl beat Amanda [Nunes] and she\u2019s going to drag me into deep waters and I\u2019m going to have to be smart\u2019 and of course, all that is true. She beat Amanda. She is tough as nails. Her game plan was to drag me into deep waters.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m the best fighter in the world. I probably could have unleashed in the first round a little bit more but I was a little bit hesitant. The first round\u2019s a feeling out process, what if she comes out swinging in the second round? Don\u2019t get [impatient], take your time, pick your shots. No, I\u2019m the best fighter in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pe\u00f1a tapping out and Harrison becoming champion was almost like an out-of-body experience for the Ohio native as she ascended to her throne after promising for years she was more than ready to conquer the competition in the UFC.<\/p>\n
Looking back now, Harrison can barely encapsulate that moment because it all feels so surreal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was overwhelmed with emotion,\u201d Harrison said. \u201cYou\u2019re almost holding your breath. You\u2019re almost kind of like don\u2019t mess up, don\u2019t mess up, be smart. It was short time, I heard the clapper, I was like I had the grip, it\u2019s a position I\u2019m really comfortable in. I drill it with [Steve] Mocco and Mike [Brown] all the time. It\u2019s a submission I get quite a bit in practice as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cDude, I just couldn\u2019t believe. I could not believe it. I couldn\u2019t believe that she tapped. I couldn\u2019t believe it was over. I couldn\u2019t believe I was UFC champion. It was overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following the conclusion of the fight, Pe\u00f1a offered her congratulations but then said she would happily stick around to await the winner of Harrison\u2019s expected fight against Amanda Nunes, who is coming out of retirement to return to the UFC.<\/p>\n
While anything is possible, Harrison doesn\u2019t really see a scenario where she stands across the cage from Pe\u00f1a again but that\u2019s not her trying to crank up the bad blood. Harrison just doesn\u2019t currently see Pe\u00f1a as a feasible option again while she\u2019s champion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean I don\u2019t think so,\u201d Harrison said. \u201cAgain, not talking crap. I think she\u2019s 2-2 in her last four or 3-3 in her last six, something like that. I think she\u2019s got to go back to the drawing board and get some wins.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s also a whole division, there\u2019s a lot of young, hungry killers coming up. We\u2019ll see. I\u2019ll fight whoever they want me to fight but in my heart, I don\u2019t think that we\u2019ll fight again.\u201d<\/p>\n
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