Author: Mike Reichlin

Amanda Nunes has recalled the early sparring sessions with Kayla Harrison at American Top Team, revealing that her technical precision dominated those training encounters.

Speaking on the Paramount UFC Crew ahead of their UFC 324 title fight on January 24, Nunes discussed her striking philosophy and how it played out against the two-time Olympic gold medalist.

“I’m very precise with my punches, my kicks. I know the right time and everything. So yeah, probably was a bad day for her or I don’t know,” Nunes said when asked about their gym sessions.

Nunes credited her mother for instilling the striking fundamentals that have made her one of the most dangerous finishers in UFC history.

“My mother was a big thing in my whole life and then she’s like taught me so many things and she was in my uncle’s corner when my uncle used to fight. So she like taught me a bunch of things. She these days like tell me some strategy, some things and it’s pretty cool,” Nunes explained.

Despite the apparent dominance in training, Nunes acknowledged Harrison as a legitimate threat and predicted she would eventually reach the UFC.

“I knew right away when she started calling me out and then talk about I knew because it’s not a lot of people out there, you know, she’s an athlete, she’s a good fighter, you know, and it’s not a lot of people that can keep it up with her. I knew she would make her way to the UFC,” Nunes said.

The bantamweight champion Harrison will defend her title against the returning Nunes in the co-main event of UFC 324.

Amanda Nunes has revealed the full story behind her return to the UFC, detailing how she struggled to stay retired, the gym split that turned former coaches into opponents, and her drive to make history as a three-time champion.

Speaking on the Paramount UFC Crew ahead of her bantamweight title fight against Kayla Harrison at UFC 324 on January 24, Nunes opened up about the internal battle she faced during her brief retirement.

“One year passed by and I was kind of like looking at Nina around the house and say like, ‘Nina, I can’t stay away though. I can’t I’m trying so hard in one year,’” Nunes admitted about conversations with her wife Nina Ansaroff.

The timing of Harrison signing with the UFC aligned perfectly with Nunes’ growing desire to compete again. The Brazilian legend felt it was destiny bringing them together for this showdown.

“When that thought started like be more strong and Kayla signed with the UFC they say like this is just meant to be you know so everything’s coming together,” Nunes explained.

Nunes also expressed concern about the state of the bantamweight division during her absence, feeling obligated to return and restore its prestige.

“I always like nobody’s going to do anything with my division so I got to go in there and then you know what I mean make this great again. Then Kayla sign like even better though so make everything perfect.”

The American Top Team Split

The comeback has also been fueled by an awkward situation that developed at American Top Team, where Harrison called her out while still training at the same gym.

“If you calling me out, if you want to fight me, you’re not supposed to be here training with my coach in the same mat in the same gym,” Nunes stated. “If I’m gonna face you, you’re gonna be out of here.”

The tension began when Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, joined ATT and initially sought to be Nunes’ training partner. However, once Harrison started publicly calling out the former champion, Nunes felt the dynamic crossed a line.

“When she started really talk about me, calling me out and at the same time is being the gym and try to be my training partner. I started get like a little bit even more photo from her because this is the challenge that I like,” Nunes revealed.

The situation has evolved further, with Nunes now facing her former coaches who have aligned with Harrison. Rather than viewing this as a disadvantage, Nunes embraces the adversity.

“The attachment that I used to have with the gym, with the coach, people that’s always around me is doesn’t have anymore. They all is against me. So I look at them as my opponent too. I like to feel the challenge that this bring to me,” she said.

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Targeting History

Beyond the personal stakes, Nunes is motivated by adding an unprecedented chapter to her legacy. The former two-division champion revealed that her trophy wall at home drives her forward.

“When I see the wall in my house, I just make like a very special wall for everything that I all my trophies and everything that I got in my whole career,” Nunes said.

“And then when I wake up and it looks that that wall for me is enough. Now it’s going to be even more like something more that people never see before. I’m gonna become a champ again. So this is going to be in the history like in the top in the history.”

A victory over Harrison would make Nunes only the second fighter in UFC history to win a title three separate times, joining Randy Couture in that exclusive club. The Brazilian legend dominated women’s MMA during her initial run, holding championships in both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions simultaneously.

Nunes acknowledged that she wants more recognition in overall GOAT conversations that typically focus on male fighters like Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva. However, she maintains that external validation is not her primary motivation.

“It doesn’t bother me honestly because this is what I like to do. I like fight. I do this for myself because I love this sport,” Nunes explained.

UFC 324 marks the first major card of the Paramount Plus era, with Nunes vs. Harrison serving as the co-main event behind Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison has revealed her ultimate goal heading into the biggest fight of her career isn’t personal glory—it’s inspiring thousands of young girls to pursue martial arts.

Speaking with Daniel Cormier on the Paramount UFC Crew ahead of her UFC 324 title defense against Amanda Nunes on January 24, Harrison outlined a vision for her legacy that extends far beyond her own accomplishments.

“On January 24th, Amanda and I are going to have a ridiculous amount of new eyes on the sport and we’re having potentially the greatest fight in women’s MMA history,” Harrison said. “The goal is for thousands of little girls to watch that and I become the greatest and maybe I’m the greatest for a day, maybe I’m the greatest for a week.”

How Kayla Harrison Will Define Success

The two-time Olympic gold medalist emphasized that her true measure of success lies in what comes after her fighting career concludes.

“There are thousands of little girls who watch that and they start doing judo and they start doing wrestling and they start doing Muay Thai and then they grow up,” Harrison continued. “Not only do they stand on my shoulders, they just surpass everything I could have ever imagined for myself. They’re not a two-time Olympic champion, they’re a three-time Olympic champion. They’re a 10 time MMA world champ.”

Harrison acknowledged she doesn’t fit the typical mold of a combat sports superstar but has embraced her authentic identity.

“I’m not like the flashiest. I’m not like a knockout artist. I’m not the craziest on the mic, but I’m unapologetically myself.”

The Ohio native summarized her philosophy with a simple but powerful statement about her purpose.

“The goal is never for me to be the greatest of all time for all time,” Harrison explained. “That’s the goal is to leave this world better than I found it. In my little pocket of it.”

Harrison’s perspective has been shaped by her own journey through adversity. Having been on the mat since age six and doing two-a-day training sessions since age 12, she understands the power of having role models to look up to.

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift,” Harrison said. “I just want to go out here every day and squeeze as much life out of the day as I can every day.”

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison has revealed the exact moment she knew Amanda Nunes was the fighter to measure herself against, recalling a humbling sparring session during her second day at American Top Team.

Speaking with Daniel Cormier on the Paramount UFC Crew ahead of their historic showdown at UFC 324 on January 24, Harrison opened up about her first encounter with the woman widely considered the greatest female fighter of all time.

“I trained at a bunch of different gyms. I went to American Top Team. I sparred Amanda my second day there. I had never had a fight before,” Harrison recalled.

“And I was like, ‘Oh like I got to move here. This girl.’ Like I had never been bested like that. With a woman, you know? Like sure, maybe guys like get the better of me, but like I was like, ‘Oh, no. This is the place to be.’”

Training With Amanda Nunes Not What Kayla Harrison Expected

The two-time Olympic gold medalist explained that she immediately recognized the level Nunes operated at and committed to training alongside her. However, Harrison admitted the training relationship she envisioned never quite materialized.

“Not as much as I had pictured if I’m being honest,” Harrison said of their gym dynamic. “There wasn’t the training bond that I had pictured in my head. And I think that that’s just different in MMA than it is in Judo. In Judo you have kind of a training partner. I wanted to be that for Amanda.”

Harrison referenced the traditional Japanese concept of kohai-senpai, explaining she had been ready to adopt a respectful subordinate role. “I was ready to come in and be her kohai. Where do you need me? Where do you want me? But it’s I don’t think it’s quite the same in MMA.”

Despite the gym dynamic not developing as hoped, Harrison said her admiration for Nunes has never wavered.

“It was never like I wanted to challenge her or defeat her in a ‘I’m going to prove I’m better than you,’” she explained. “It was just like a place of honor in my mind. You’re the greatest. I want to someday be what you are.”

Now, eight years after that first sparring session, Harrison finally gets her chance to test herself against the woman who inspired her MMA journey.

“This has been eight years in the making. I think that it’s a testament to my coaches, to my training, my work ethic,” Harrison said. “People would be surprised where you can get with a little bit of stubbornness and determination.”