Kayla Harrison acquired a name final 12 months that will change her life endlessly.
Her stepfather, Bob Nichols, died abruptly on Could 19, 2020. On high of the grief of shedding him, Harrison then needed to bounce into motion for her household. She turned the full-time guardian of her niece Kyla, eight, and her 2-year-old nephew Emery.
The kids had been staying with Nichols and Harrison’s mom, Jeannie Yazell, in Ohio, with Harrison’s sister going via private points. However Yazell had a stroke in December 2019, and with Nichols gone, she was unable look after Kyla and Emery. The 2 children moved to Florida with Harrison.
In a single day, Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo champion and the defending PFL ladies’s light-weight champion, had the function of single mom.
“We’re within the midst of potty coaching proper now,” Harrison advised ESPN. “Actually, you go from being a nasty b—- to altering 15 diapers a day. It actually modifications your life.”
Harrison’s PFL profession was placed on maintain in 2020 because of the promotion canceling its season in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However she saved herself busy with the children and coaching. Final November, Harrison returned to the cage and picked up a TKO win over Courtney King underneath the Invicta FC banner.
Harrison stated she would roll her eyes when fighters in postfight interviews stated they had been competing for his or her households. She will get it now. Harrison has Kyla and Emery contained in the PFL bubble along with her in Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey, as she prepares to win her second straight $1 million ladies’s light-weight title.
“I can admit that I used to be like, ‘OK, cool, good for you,'” Harrison stated. “However they provide you a brand new sense of function. Like, no I am combating for my household. I am combating for these two children. I need to be the very best function mannequin for them and I need to depart behind a legacy and I need to make them proud. It is only a completely totally different side when you’ve children.”
Harrison’s life modified dramatically throughout the PFL’s yearlong hiatus, and with a roster of 60 fighters, the expertise of a few of these fighters various dramatically over the previous 12 months. ESPN requested six of the highest fighters within the PFL to share their feelings, ideas and reminiscences from a 12 months away from the cage.
Kayla Harrison, defending PFL ladies’s light-weight champion
My mom’s husband, Bob Nichols, was just about taking good care of my mother, taking good care of the children. Actually simply the rock of the household. Clearly, my mom being older and having simply suffered a significant medical emergency was not capable of maintain them after Bob handed away. So, I turned their guardian. And it has been superior.
I believe it is protected to say it is the toughest factor I’ve ever achieved in my life, but in addition a very powerful factor I’ve ever achieved in my life. And yeah, I might be mendacity if I did not say 2020 was an enormous wrestle. Simply getting my bearings, studying the way to be Mother, as a substitute of the enjoyable aunt who hops them up filled with sugar and sends them residence. A variety of huge modifications. That positively took up loads of my time. It was actually studying the way to be a Mother and coaching that saved me grounded and saved me centered. Stored me centered.
After I discovered the season was canceled, I did not cease coaching. I used to be nonetheless on the health club daily — most likely much more, as a result of I used to be so pissed off and so hell bent on not losing my time. To be within the prime of your profession and being advised you are going to have to take a seat on the shelf, it is most likely one of many hardest issues I’ve ever heard.
I believe the cancellation was actually good for me, a blessing in disguise. I believe I developed exponentially final 12 months as a fighter, which could not have occurred if I fought 4 instances back-to-back-to-back-to again. If I needed to combat 4 instances final 12 months, even I can say, I am fairly powerful, however which may have been slightly an excessive amount of for my plate. Hindsight, I believe it was a very good factor that I solely had one combat. I believe it was good for me.
It’s a must to keep in mind these children are coming from only a ridiculous quantity of trauma and instability. They simply misplaced somebody who was their father determine, who they liked. They simply acquired taken from their residence in Ohio. They usually know me, they love me. They do not have their mother and father. They’ve simply had a extremely, actually arduous uphill battle their complete life. They have been dealt some fairly s—ty playing cards.
The largest and most overwhelming side of it for me is it is now my job to guard them, to nurture them, to like them, to offer them a protected, completely satisfied, wholesome setting the place they’ll thrive. And to be fairly sincere, that scares the s— out of me. Each single day I used to be questioning if I used to be doing proper or if I used to be messing up. It is the toughest job on the earth. It is so loopy, since you suppose getting in a cage with somebody attempting to take your head off is frightening or that coaching is tough — “it is such a grind!” — oh my God, it is really easy in comparison with elevating children.
Clay Collard, PFL light-weight and professional boxer
The one manner I generate income is by combating. That is how I make a residing. PFL was variety sufficient to let me field final 12 months. I did seven boxing matches between January 2020 and February 2021. I received the primary 5. I believe it is helped me change into an all-around higher fighter. I used to be staying energetic whereas lots of people weren’t all year long. I believe boxers have the very best fingers, they’re the very best strikers. So, I realized the way to take care of that, realized the way to transfer with that. It is achieved nothing however assist me so far as combating goes.
I gained loads of followers. I acquired my identify on the market extra. I acquired loads of publicity for it. I acquired some wins on my boxing document. It was nothing however good for me. I had enjoyable, I made slightly cash, I paid my payments. I am going through high prospects, up-and-comers, undefeated guys in boxing. Younger, hungry guys. These are the fellows I am going after. I am not going after no silly cash combat — I used to be combating actual competitors. I used to be combating high prospects which can be imagined to be the following great point.
All these persons are speaking about boxing — I am residing it. I am going on the market and doing it. I am not working my mouth about it, both. I like displaying up and combating, man. And that is it.
I believe all people I fought was a greater boxer than I’m. However I am simply harder. That is what my coaches at all times say: “They may be a greater boxer, however you are a greater fighter. Go on the market and show it.”
In 2021, I am centered on the PFL season. I am centered on Anthony Pettis in my first combat. On the finish of the 12 months, perhaps I’m going again to boxing. Perhaps I trip. However proper now, I am centered on the PFL event.
I am excited. That is why I do that, to combat the powerful guys. I am excited to go on the market and show I’m the most effective fighters on the earth. Pettis is the right opponent to try this in opposition to. I am amped. That is the last word Cinderella story, man. That is me, man. I am able to shock the world. From boxing to MMA. I had a run within the UFC and I did not have my head on straight. Now, I do. I believe it is gonna be a nasty evening for Pettis. I am able to go give it to him.
Lance Palmer, two-time PFL featherweight champion
As soon as I noticed that I wasn’t gonna be combating final 12 months, at first it was sort of a salty style in my mouth about the entire thing. I simply went full power with my different stuff.
I mainly spent the time rising my different companies. I personal a panorama and snow elimination enterprise in Columbus, Ohio, and simply stayed busy with that and saved rising that. Exterior of that, I do actual property lending. These two issues had been my revenue for the 12 months. With banks not lending to individuals who had been attempting to flip properties or do no matter they had been doing due to COVID, that gave me the right alternative to develop that aspect of the enterprise. Specializing in the actual property lending is not an excessive amount of work on my finish — it is simply paperwork and ensuring that every thing on my finish is roofed in case they default — however actually, I did not have the time to do it whereas I used to be combating.
I’ve buddies who personal actually huge hardscape companies and so they’ve sort of moved into out of doors residing, so far as swimming pools and different issues. Doing large jobs. They might move the smaller jobs onto me, and that is sort of what acquired me tremendous busy.
It acquired to the purpose the place I am getting voicemails despatched to me daily for spring cleanups and mulch and tons of various stuff. It labored out, as a result of I constructed my popularity within the metropolis as an up-and-coming enterprise.
By way of lastly returning, my major aim has at all times been to do the very best I can as a fighter and get higher daily. I fought 11 instances inside a two-year interval, and having final 12 months off — regardless that it wasn’t by my selection — I simply let my physique heal and I centered on getting stronger. I centered on engaged on sure areas. I labored on getting my thoughts off combating and it was truly actually refreshing. This combat camp has been actually refreshing in its personal manner, although — getting again to issues and stepping contained in the bubble.
Tom Lawlor, PFL gentle heavyweight, UFC veteran wrestler
I did what I used to be doing earlier than the PFL was canceled — unbiased professional wrestling — and I attempted to renew life as a lot as I might usually. I used to be out of labor for a very good portion of 2020 due to the pandemic. Lastly, I used to be capable of get some dates starting in June. I taped some matches for New Japan Professional-Wrestling in California, which aired later. I didn’t count on to get a name from New Japan or from any huge group.
It gave me a specific amount of confidence when it got here to wrestling. It is a kind of issues. It is a aim I had since I used to be youthful to wrestle for them. Despite the fact that it isn’t the scenario that I envisioned myself being in, making a debut, I might prefer to suppose I’ve made the very best of the chance to date and can proceed to take action. It is an enormous aim for me, short-term, that I’ve completed.
‘I by no means would have thought I might be wrestling Fred. However the second we locked up I knew it was going to be good.’
Tom Lawlor on his match of the 12 months voted bout with Fred Rosser in our interview!https://t.co/aDd39XKOuY#njpwSTRONG #njsse pic.twitter.com/2AFrKtAlPP
— NJPW World (@njpwglobal) March 12, 2021
It isn’t straightforward. I had a match on Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport card in opposition to the unbiased wrestling legend Murder final September. If there’s one picture that stands out from that present, I keep in mind getting my head stomped in by a Timberland boot whereas I used to be going for a leg lock. That was one of many issues the place, afterwards, I am within the again speaking to folks, the very first thing out of my mouth was, “Hey, that was a nasty concept. I do not know why I did that.” That one was one of many rougher ones.
Wrestling is predetermined. However except I am doing one thing that requires comedy, there’s loads of me getting stomped within the face, loads of me getting kicked actually arduous. I took a pool ball to the face one time. I’ve gotten powerbombed on the ground by Ken Shamrock in a bar. I have been put in these horrible, horrible conditions and it by no means works out properly for me. Someway, if nothing else, I’ve skilled my physique to have the ability to take a beating and get proper again up over the course of those 20 years.
At this level, it takes me two days to recuperate from one match. So, there have been instances once I was doing 4 or 5 matches over the course of a pair days after which getting proper again within the health club. It is like, “Cease that, your physique cannot deal with that.” No one’s physique ought to be capable to deal with that. One of many downsides of transferring your manner up on the cardboard is you often get extra time to wrestle, which suggests extra time it’s important to put your self via a beating.
I will be sincere. I’ve tried totally different kinds of wrestling since I’ve come again and I’ve come to the conclusion that followers simply need to see me combat the man. So, typically that requires me doing 20 minutes of a simulated MMA combat. You are placing your self on the market and getting hit, however it’s important to be sure you’re not getting hit within the incorrect spot. It isn’t any much less taxing in your physique. There are some instances I’ve come out of matches worse than I did in fights. However there’s additionally typically in sparring that I come out manner worse than I did in fights. None of it’s good for me.
Rory MacDonald, PFL welterweight, former Bellator champion and UFC veteran
The 12 months began with a trip to Florida with my household. I used half the day to take a look at Sanford MMA. After that, COVID hit and mainly, in Canada, we began getting placed on lockdown. At the moment, I used to be coaching from residence. I’ve a small residence health club, some heavy luggage and weights and treadmills and a motorbike and stuff like that. I used to be capable of work on that for a short time. Then I began coaching with a small group of fellows that will get collectively. We did that for some time. I might do privates with my coaches to maintain sharpening — pads, jiu-jitsu and stuff like that.
Because the summer season was coming to an finish, I used to be attempting to formulate a plan of what I used to be going to do for the primary combat with PFL. It was wanting OK at first, I used to be going to have the ability to keep in Canada for it. However proper on the finish of 2020, we acquired locked down once more. I had to choose about coaching underneath a lockdown and curfews and never many coaching companions, or I needed to depart Montreal and determine one other place. Due to my good expertise earlier within the 12 months at Sanford and the truth that Florida was simply open and the fellows had been coaching regular there, I felt like I ought to carry myself and my household down right here. I have been doing my coaching camp right here since February.
It has been a terrific expertise. I am not used to having that many sparring companions, so that you positively get a giant combine and loads of totally different appears, coaching with totally different our bodies and kinds. That is been good. And it is at a really excessive stage right here. They’ve a terrific facility and the setting is nice. I have been actually having fun with it.
At first when the PFL season was canceled, I used to be dissatisfied as a result of I am coming off a loss. Wanting again in hindsight, I really feel prefer it was a very good factor that I had a 12 months off. I had loads of issues that I wanted to work out personally. That point off, it was superb for me. I used to be capable of clear up loads of stuff for myself, acquired loads of issues achieved which may have been a distraction. Now I get to go in clear, centered, motivated, hungry, pushed.
Brendan Loughnane, PFL featherweight
My first combat final 12 months was imagined to be in Could. I landed at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand for coaching camp. I used to be planning on doing the entire season there, going backwards and forwards. I acquired proper up till three weeks earlier than the primary combat. I used to be in nice form. I used to be sparring with former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan and Rafael Fiziev. They had been my guys. Tiger closed down as a consequence of COVID, so we began our personal little factor. We had been coaching daily. It was nice, however three weeks earlier than the combat the PFL season acquired pulled and so they stated we’re not resuming till 2021. It was like, “What am I imagined to do till then?” That is all I’ve achieved since I used to be 16, 17 years previous.
Thailand is reasonable to dwell anyway, so I stayed in Thailand. I skilled my ass off. I got here residence to England when COVID hit fairly dangerous. I used to be residence for a month. Then, I went to Dubai. I had some hyperlinks on the market, some associates. I ended up at TKMMA with guys like Gokhan Saki, Alistair Overeem. Michael “Venom” Web page passing via. I did six months in Dubai, so I did a full 12 months away from the UK. The UK was utterly locked down, so I actually could not prepare there.
Dubai is nice. I had such a very good time. It jogged my memory of Tiger Muay Thai, as a result of everybody who would usually prepare in Thailand was there, as a result of Thailand closed the borders. I used to be sparring One Championship high light-weight Timofey Nastyukhin, he was my major sparring accomplice. Me and him did numerous quantity of rounds. I ended up with good, high quality sparring companions.
Conor McGregor has been in Dubai as properly, and he truly reached out to me, we spoke. I truly simply missed him. The day I used to be leaving for the PFL bubble, he was like, “What time is the session?” I am unable to imagine I missed him by a day, however he is round there now and he is discovered his personal little area of interest there. You would be shocked about Dubai, they’re placing lots into MMA. It is booming over there.