Kayla Harrison has inched closer to a shot at UFC gold, producing a dominant display against former champion Holly Holm on Sunday (AEST).
The two-time Olympic gold medalist made the switch from PFL earlier this year in a bid to further cement her legacy and kicked things off with a stellar performance against Holm on the UFC 300 undercard.
Harrison (17-1) was taken to the ground early in the bout, but managed to overcome some early offence from Holm and land some nasty elbows on the mat.
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Early in the second round, Harrison locked in a guillotine choke and Holm was forced to submit almost immediately, handing the debutant an eye-catching win.
"What a performance," Daniel Cormier said on commentary.
"She uses her leg to elevate and knock Holly to the ground and from there, it's just control. She gets her in a rear choke and she applied so much squeeze.
"Holly didn't have a chance."
Expert analyst Joe Rogan also heaped praise on the 33-year-old after her debut.
"As good as she could have hoped for … she didn't really even get hit," he said.
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Harrison won gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games in judo before making the jump into mixed martial arts, where she became a force to be reckoned with in PFL.
Speaking post-fight, the American sent a warning to her new rivals in the UFC bantamweight division.
"I want my title next, that's what I came over here for – one thing and one thing only," Harrison said in the octagon.
"By the end of the year, I will be UFC champion."
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The landmark event for UFC will be headlined by Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill in a light-heavyweight title bout, while Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway are also in action.
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