Kayla Harrison has joined Henry Cejudo in an exclusive club in combat sports lore as Olympic champions who went on to also become a UFC champion.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist in judo submitted Julianna Peña to become the new women’s bantamweight champion Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 316 in New Jersey.

Harrison’s journey to becoming a UFC champion was long and arduous.

Before beginning her mixed marital arts career, she became the most accomplished American judoka in history. Harrison won gold medals at both London 2012 ‍and Rio 2016 competing in the ‍78-kilogram division. Harrison was also a former judo training partner of Ronda Rousey, the UFC’s inaugural women’s bantamweight champ and an Olympic bronze medallist in her own right.

Cejudo won Olympic gold in the men’s 55

See Full Page