Ronda Rousey vs. Kayla Harrison: A style analysis

Ever since a 16-year-old Kayla Harrison was roommates with fellow judoka Ronda Rousey, there has been a healthy competition between the two – both in Harrison and the public’s eyes.

Although the admitted “frenemies” never got the chance to fight in a mixed martial arts match, their career paths within combat sports have only fueled the comparison talk further with Harrison recently moving to 10-0 to close out PFL’s 2021 regular season.

Personally, I think the majority of the Rousey comparisons lack the proper context and subsequently take away from Harrison’s story.

For one, comparing anyone to Rousey – even the likes of Conor McGregor or Brock Lesnar – is somewhat baseless considering the time and space she occupied as a barrier-breaking woman. But for as much as we shouldn’t forget about Rousey’s contribution to an important and needed shift in perspective, we should also make room for Harrison to share her own story of empowerment. I appreciate her being open about her past in order to help others.

Moreover, Harrison embodies a completely different style as a martial artist. This analysis will focus on the difference in their styles and how that contributes to their ceilings.