New UFC champion Kayla Harrison describes 'surreal' celebration with Trump outside Octagon

UFC prima Kayla Harrison described the "surreal moment" she celebrated her UFC rubric triumph with President Donald Trump.

"I've had the grant and privilege of representing our state connected the biggest signifier for the athletics and… I've been to 2 Olympic Games. At my archetypal Olympic Games, President Putin was successful the assemblage during my finals.  … But I've ne'er had the grant oregon privilege of competing successful beforehand of the person of my country, and that was a peculiar thing," the recently crowned bantamweight champion told "Fox & Friends" co-host Lawrence Jones connected Wednesday.

"I'm precise arrogant to beryllium an American," she added. "And anytime you get an accidental similar that, you'd amended marque the astir of it."

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Kayla Harrison celebrates with U.S. President Donald Trump aft her triumph against Julianna Pena successful the UFC women's bantamweight title bout during the UFC 316 lawsuit astatine Prudential Center connected June 07, 2025 successful Newark, New Jersey.  (Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)

Harrison defeated Julianna Peña connected Saturday nighttime astatine UFC 316 via submission to triumph the championship, leaving her people connected the athletics and mounting herself up for an epic combat against erstwhile champion Amanda Nunes.

After her win, she stepped extracurricular the octagon wherever President Trump, who was attending the matches that took spot astatine the Prudential Center successful Newark, New Jersey, greeted her and the 2 embraced. 

She described her excitement astatine seeing Trump on with boxing fable Mike Tyson aft the fight. 

TRUMP 'EMBODIES WHAT BEING AN AMERICAN IS ALL ABOUT,' UFC'S DANA WHITE SAYS

Kayla Harrison celebrates aft defeating Julianna Pena successful the UFC women's bantamweight title bout during the UFC 316 lawsuit astatine Prudential Center connected June 07, 2025 successful Newark, New Jersey. (Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)

 "The President of the United States is giving maine a buss connected my cheek, and I’m like, beatified (cow)," she said. "And past Mike Tyson is close there! I’m like, americium I successful a movie close now? What is happening?"

Harrison enactment her title loop connected Trump's enarthrosis arsenic the assemblage cheered. 

The UFC champ said she attributes her occurrence to her religion successful God, particularly during the hard process of cutting her value to 135 pounds earlier combat night.

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Reflecting connected her accomplishments successful the sport, she emphasized how grateful she is to unrecorded successful a state that gives her the accidental to travel her dreams.

"We are precise blessed to beryllium Americans and to unrecorded arsenic escaped citizens successful this large country. If I was calved 90 miles southbound successful Cuba and I did judo I would marque $28 a week. So that puts it successful position for me, and it keeps maine humble and determination truly is nary spot similar home." 

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.