Kayla Harrison Brings John 3:16 to UFC 316 with Big Win
“You’re not being punished… You’re being positioned.”
—Kayla Harrison, UFC Bantamweight Champion
Moments after nearly breaking her opponent’s arm to claim the UFC Bantamweight title, Kayla Harrison stood strong in the center of the octagon. With Joe Rogan holding the mic, the audience leaned in expecting trash talk—but instead, Harrison delivered a message of eternal truth. Before the face-off with legend Amanda Nunes, she made sure the crowd and millions watching at home heard something far greater than hype: the name of Jesus.
“This is UFC 316,” she began, referencing the card’s uncanny alignment with one of the most iconic verses in Scripture. “In the Bible, it says in John 3:16 that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that we might have eternal life. And it is because of Him—through Him—that I have these gifts. And so, they are all for His glory. Thank you. God.”
It was a bold proclamation of faith inside the octagon—but it felt different than most.
*Videos may include violence and profanities.
Watching the card with my son, who lives and breathes MMA, he casually told me that both Kayla Harrison and Julianna Peña were believers. That intrigued me. But nothing prepared me for what would follow: a fight-of-the-night performance filled with grit, strategy, and submission mastery. Peña was seconds from a catastrophic arm injury when she tapped.
As Joe Rogan waited for his post-fight interview, Harrison and Peña stood in the center of the blood-stained cage—heads bowed, arms draped over each other, praying. This wasn’t a ceremonial nod to faith—this was real. You couldn’t hear all the words, but Harrison’s audible “Amens” echoed through the TV. You could feel the Holy Spirit in that moment.
“We prayed for each other,” Harrison later told Rogan.
“I mean, it’s not personal. We’re here to fight. This is a business. I love what I do. And I’m grateful that I had a great fighter like Julianna to bring out a better version of me.”
In that interview, Harrison also gave God the credit for surviving the grueling weight cut to 135 pounds:
“Only God can get that last pound off me. I can’t do it. I’m not strong enough. It’s too hard. You have to go to a bad place, and the only way through is to surrender and have faith.”
I wasn’t overly familiar with her personal story before this. Two Olympic gold medals. Championships in multiple promotions. An intimidating record. But it was her faith, her vulnerability, and her heart that stood out after this fight.
“This is for all the moms—especially the single moms,” she declared from the cage.
“I know it’s hard, and I know it feels like you’re being punished. But you’re not. You’re being positioned. And you have a place in those children’s lives. You’re there for a reason. You’re seen. God has a plan for you.”
Positioned, not punished. It didn’t come from a place of cliché—it came from her life.
*Videos may include violence and profanities.
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At her pre-fight press conference, Harrison revealed even more about what’s been going on behind the scenes. Her sister has battled addiction for years. In 2019, Harrison’s mother—who had custody of her niece and nephew—suffered a stroke. Kayla stepped in, becoming a full-time parent to a 6-month-old and a 5-year-old.
No wonder the prayers felt real. This wasn’t a manufactured moment of post-game praise. This was a woman forged in fire. “I spent a lot of time feeling unworthy,” she’s said.
Her biological father was absent. “I didn’t have this belief that I was loved unconditionally.”
But now?
“God sending me my kids… they have taught me so much more than gold medals and trophies,” she said.
“It brought me a new peace, freedom, and understanding.”
This isn’t about idolizing athletes. Kayla Harrison wouldn’t want that. But witnessing such a raw, faith-filled moment—in one of the most violent, high-stakes sports in the world—was something I’ll never forget. And then, just to top it off, Amanda Nunes stormed the cage to set up what may be the biggest women’s fight of all time.
But whatever happens next in the octagon, Kayla Harrison already won something bigger that night: the boldness to witness. On a stage that doesn’t always make room for grace, she let God take center spotlight.
