Amanda Nunes has made her position on the UFC bantamweight title picture completely clear: she will wait for Kayla Harrison, and she has no interest in an interim belt in the meantime.
Nunes was scheduled to return at UFC 324 in January after nearly three years in retirement, but Harrison’s neck injury forced the cancellation of their title fight at the last minute. Rather than accepting an alternative opponent or pursuing an interim championship, Nunes told MMA Junkie she has no intention of changing her approach.
“I know everybody wants a chance. I know everybody wants to fight me, and I know everybody wants to get a paycheck. I know that. But, it’s like if you put it on the table, it’s not how it is, though. I only fight for the undisputed belt, and I cannot make what they want. I feel like I’m going to have an opportunity for all of them, so they just have to wait, like I did. I waited so much to fight for the belt. One day, I did it, so then I have an opportunity for everybody, and I think they should wait. I’m gonna fight Kayla and take my belt back.”
Nunes also identified her preferred date for the comeback, pointing to International Fight Week and the UFC 329 card on July 11 in Las Vegas as the ideal landing spot.
“I feel like International Fight Week would be a good one. I feel like UFC wanted that too. So I hope Kayla is ready for it, and I can’t wait for the call. I hope she’s ready, though, because I am. And let’s see what is gonna happen.”
Harrison returned to training at the end of March, though whether she will be ready for a summer showdown remains uncertain. UFC 329 fight announcements are expected imminently.
Amanda Nunes broke her months-long silence on Norma Dumont in the worst possible way for the bantamweight contender, mocking Dumont’s Saturday loss to Joselyne Edwards at UFC Vegas 116.
Dumont dropped a unanimous decision to Edwards (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Sterling vs. Zalal, snapping her six-fight win streak and complicating her case for a title shot. The Brazilian protested the result in the cage. You can find the full breakdown of Edwards’ upset win and the post-fight reaction here.
Shortly after the decision was read, Nunes posted laughing emojis on Instagram in response to Dumont’s loss. It was a pointed jab from a fighter Dumont has spent years chasing, and Dumont noticed.
Dumont Fires Back On Instagram
Responding on her Instagram story, Dumont leaned into the silence Nunes had kept for the better part of four years.
“I’m very happy that Amanda (Nunes)’s internet is working again. Because it’s been six fights, four years if I’m not mistaken, that I went undefeated, and I challenged her to fight in every fight and she never responded,” Dumont said.
“She never responded to any message I sent directly to her challenging her to a fight, she didn’t respond to any of the pages. But now she’s decided to show up, so I’m very happy that her internet is back. And now I understand that our conversation will be different.”
Dumont then framed the exchange as a setup for unfinished business.
“And I’m very happy about that, because I’m sure that in the next fight, we’ll come out with our arms raised and this conversation will still yield a lot. I think this has become very interesting now.”
Nunes remains in training while she waits for champion Kayla Harrison to recover from neck surgery, with their postponed title fight expected to be rescheduled later in 2026. Dumont, despite the Vegas 116 setback, is making clear she wants in on whatever comes next.
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.
“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.
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.
“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.”
UFC legend Amanda Nunes has made it crystal clear that she plans on taking back her belt from Kayla Harrison when they eventually square off.
Everyone knows that Amanda Nunes is one of the greatest female fighters of all time. Now, after a few years away from the cage, she’s set to return and challenge Kayla Harrison for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship. It’s a fight that everyone has been wanting to see for a long time, and as we look ahead to the immediate future, it’s probably one of the biggest fights that can be made in the UFC.
The two have been fairly respectful to one another but at the same time, Amanda Nunes has already said she wasn’t overly impressed by Harrison’s win over Julianna Pena – laying the groundwork for what looks set to be a really fun encounter.
In a recent interview, Amanda Nunes went into a bit more detail about what she wants to achieve with this next run.
Amanda Nunes wants the belt back
“The next thing is “and new”. I’m gonna hear it once again. Isn’t that crazy, if you guys think about that? Honest. I’m gonna get my belt back, and you’re gonna view me again, and I’m gonna tell you. Remember I told you, I’m getting my belt back. So, I’m gonna do that.”
“Hoping it’s this year for sure. I’m gonna talk to Dana to see, I’m ready to go. I’m healthy, I’m training. I’m ready to go.”
“Brazil, in my city, in Vegas, whatever. I want my belt back.”
Kayla Harrison may have climbed to the top of the mountain, but she plans on going even higher.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist delivered one of the most dominant performances of her mixed martial arts career at UFC 316, handily defeating Julianna Pena via a second-round submission to claim the women’s bantamweight championship.
It’s a goal that Harrison has been dreaming of since day one. But now the question is, what comes next?
“I was ready right then! I want to fight for the title,” Harrison told MMA Junkie while attending the UFC Hall of Fame ceremony in Las Vegas last month. “I want this, that, and the other… all in God’s time, God’s plan. But I think when you visualize something and you have a dream from the first day I started MMA, this was the dream. And so once it happened, I was like, ‘Oh, wait. We’re done? Like, we did it, but we’re not done yet.’”
As they say, a champion only becomes a champion once they’ve defended their title.
Kayla Harrison Tells Amanda Nunes to ‘Send Location’
Harrison has not yet booked a date for her first defense, but it’s safe to say that the woman standing across from her inside the Octagon will be none other than former champ-champ Amanda Nunes. ‘The Lioness’ stepped inside the Octagon immediately following Harrison’s win at UFC 316, going face-to-face with the new bantamweight queen and setting the stage for one of the biggest fights in MMA history, regardless of gender.
“Obviously, Amanda’s next,” Harrison said. “We spoke to her at the Hall of Fame yesterday. She says Q4. But she’s not in the drug testing pool yet, so she might not be able to fight till Q1 of next year.
“I’m sure they’re talking to Ali and letting him know about everything. That’s why I pay him the big bucks—so I don’t have to think about stuff like that. I just show up, train, work hard, stay ready. Send a location, I’ll be ready.”
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison has made it crystal clear that she is ready for her superfight with Amanda Nunes as fans await an official announcement regarding a date and location.
After defeating Julianna Pena to win the belt at UFC 316, Kayla Harrison found herself immediately facing off with her next opponent – the GOAT Amanda Nunes. It’s safe to say that this is now one of the most highly anticipated fights in the history of women’s mixed martial arts, and nobody really knows how it’s going to go.
As we wait for more information on the fight, Kayla Harrison noted in a recent interview that she’s ready, even though it may be a while before we get to see it.
Kayla Harrison is ready for Amanda Nunes
“Obviously, Amanda’s next. We spoke to her at the Hall of Fame yesterday. She says Q4. But she’s not in the drug testing pool yet, so she might not be able to fight till Q1 of next year.
“I’m sure they’re talking to Ali and letting him know about everything. That’s why I pay him the big bucks—so I don’t have to think about stuff like that. I just show up, train, work hard, stay ready. Send a location, I’ll be ready.”
Harrison is a warrior and she won’t mind waiting until Nunes is 100% ready to go. Regardless of when this fight happens, it absolutely needs to be a pay-per-view main event – and the UFC needs to give it the kind of promotion and hype that it deserves.
As has been previously speculated and teased, even after the announcement of her impending UFC Hall of Fame induction, “The Lioness” is back.
During an athlete panel held ahead of UFC 316, former UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes announced her intentions to un-retire and challenge for the belt she previously held on two occasions.
That was confirmed at the event itself. Following Kayla Harrison’s bantamweight title win over Julianna Pena, Harrison called out Nunes to enter the Octagon.
“That’s the next fight,” Harrison said.
Nunes, who was in the crowd, was allowed into the Octagon and confirmed her intentions to return and face Harrison.
Amanda Nunes Returning, Aiming For Third Reign As UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion
Nunes has had history with both women in the women’s title fight. The lone time since Nunes’ first title win in 2016 that Nunes didn’t rule over 135 was when Pena shocked the world and finished Nunes at UFC 269 to capture the UFC women’s bantamweight championship. Nunes would regain the championship from Pena at UFC 277 but retire before a trilogy fight that Pena greatly desired.
Meanwhile, Nunes and Harrison has been teased as a potential dream match when Harrison was on top of the PFL’s women’s lightweight division while Nunes was a champ-champ in the UFC.
Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen isn’t buying the apparent enthusiasm over a return to active competition for Amanda Nunes.
Nunes laid down her two titles and gloves in the Octagon following a successful bantamweight defense against Irena Aldana in 2023. Their showdown at UFC 289 in Canada came about on short-notice following the withdrawal of Julianna Peña through injury.
Close by cageside on the night was “The Venezuelan Vixen,” who expected to set up a rearranged trilogy fight with the “Lioness.” Instead, the Brazilian announced a surprise retirement.
But that got thrown into doubt after Nunes questioned Kayla Harrison’s decision not to call her out following a successful Octagon debut at UFC 300. Since then, talk of a comeback has only intensified.
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen addressed the likely comeback, claiming any excitement in the fanbase is not genuine.
“It’s very polite to pretend that you want Amanda Nunes to come back, it’s very polite, but I’m just not really sure why you’re doing it,” Sonnen said. “You didn’t get excited when she was here the first time. You didn’t come out, you didn’t buy a T-shirt, you wouldn’t watch the show because, you wouldn’t buy the pay-per-view because, and now you’re pretending that you want her to come back.
“She’s the greatest of all time…a really, really nice human being in addition to that,” Sonnen continued. “It’s not a commentary on that. You don’t want to see her fight, and you never did. So I struggle with this newfound curiosity of ‘will she come back?’”
The woman widely considered the greatest women’s fighter in the history of MMA, let alone the UFC, will now get to take her spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Former UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes was announced as the newest member of the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2025, as announced at UFC 314.
Nunes was emotional Octagon-side, having been surprised by the announcement, greeted with the hugs from UFC CEO Dana White, Octagon announcer Bruce Buffer, and UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell.
This induction comes just a day after Nunes appeared to tease a comeback at a press conference. With Julianna Pena and Kayla Harrison on the press stage, a reporter asked of the chance Nunes returns to the Octagon to challenge the winner. Nunes then appeared nodding on camera.
Pena and Harrison face off for the women’s bantamweight title — a title Nunes held for a long time — during the co-main event of UFC 316 on June 7.
First Brazilian women’s champ. ONLY women’s double champ. Forever a legend.
After going 7-3 to start her career, including fights in Strikeforce and Invicta, Nunes joined the UFC in 2013. She went on to lose just twice in the Octagon, ending her stellar career with a 23-5 record.
Nunes submitted Miesha Tate in the UFC 200 main event to win the UFC women’s bantamweight title. She then went on to retain the title six times between two reigns, defeating the likes of Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, Raquel Pennington, Holly Holm, Germaine de Randamie, and Irene Aldana. Though Nunes lost the title in upset fashion to Pena at UFC 269, she’d win the belt back in a rematch at UFC 277.
Between those defenses, Nunes defeated Cris Cyborg to win the UFC women’s featherweight championship at UFC 232. Nunes to this date is still the sole woman to be a champ-champ — and the only UFC champ-champ to retain both championships at least once and retire as champ-champ.
Nunes defended her 145-pound title against Felicia Spencer and Megan Anderson.
The UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2025, in addition to Nunes, includes Robbie Lawler, longtime producer Craig Piligian, and the UFC 236 fight between Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum.
With two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison moving to 2-0 in the UFC on the same night, many were quick to brand her possible clash with Peña as the next title fight in the bantamweight division.
The champ, however, had other plans. She used her time on the mic post-fight to call out former opponent Amanda Nunes, who retired after avenging her loss to Peña and subsequently defeating Irena Aldana to defend the 135-pound title.
But during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Peña suggested that Nunes is awaiting the result of her expected defense against Harrison, claiming the Brazilian’s comeback teases will dissipate when she blemishes the ex-PFL champ’s UFC record.
“(Nunes) thinks I’m going to lose to Kayla, and when I beat Kayla, she’s going to say, ‘I stay retired.’ But if Kayla wins, then she’s going to come out of retirement and look like some hero,” Peña said. “The reality is — and I know this for a fact — she feels that she doesn’t have anything to prove against me, and she feels that she hates Kayla more than she wants to prove something and fight me for a trilogy.
“She walked out of (the rematch) with frickin’ elephantitis on half her face, crutches, and a wheelchair. She knows it’s not going to be some walk in the park, easy night in the office,” Peña continued. “No amount of money they pay her is going to be worth the amount of damage that she’s going to have to sustain in this fight because I’m not going away, and she knows that.”
“The Lioness” and “The Venezuelan Vixen” were originally slated to share the cage for a third time in Canada last year, but a rib injury forced the latter out.
Peña was left bemused when her rival subsequently hung up the gloves and has long attempted to draw Nunes back to competition.
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña isn’t giving up in her pursuit of a third showdown with former two-division queen Amanda Nunes.
Prior to her return to action at the UFC 307 pay-per-view earlier this month, Peña vowed to call out Nunes — who retired following a successful defense against Irene Aldana last year — after recapturing the 135-pound title.
The pair have already collided twice, with Peña pulling off an almighty upset first time around at UFC 269 but losing in dominant fashion when they ran it back in the main event of UFC 277.
The rematch went the distance but included Nunes recording multiple knockdowns en route to a one-sided decision, which saw 50-44, 50-45, and 50-46 scorecards in the Brazilian’s favor.
But during an appearance on Sirius XM‘s MMA Today show, Peña suggested those numbers don’t reflect what actually happened at Dallas’ American Airlines Center, and that she actually took Nunes’ “soul.”
“Nobody can breathe Amanda Nunes’ name except for me,” Peña said. “I’m the only person that’s going to say, ‘I want you, I know that you retired too early. The first fight, I took your pride in the first fight. The second fight, I took your soul. Make it into the Octagon for this trilogy fight,’ and she can’t do it!
“So she says to the promotion, ‘Dana White, I’m shaking my ass and I’m tagging you because I miss you and call me, mwah, mwah, mwah.’ And then they call her and what does she say? ‘Oh, I just want to see what happens between Kayla and Julianna and I’ll take the winner,’” Peña continued. “You are not retired! You are biding your time, Amanda Nunes!”
"Kayla Harrison just came to the party. Amanda Nunes is the big fight, the money fight, the fight that people want to see."@VenezuelanVixen SOUNDED OFF on Kayla Harrison, Amanda Nunes & everyone who criticized her #UFC307 callout🗣️
But with the champ claiming that the Brazilian is looking to face the winner of her likely showdown with Harrison in 2025, fans of the “Lioness” will seemingly have some time to wait before possibility seeing the legend back in action.
When it comes to her desire to avoid Kayla Harrison and run it back with the retired Amanda Nunes, UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña claims to have the support of the masses.
The bout marked “The Venezuelan Vixen’s” first since her first divisional rule was brought to an emphatic halt by Nunes in their July 2022 rematch.
There was plenty of backlash toward Peña receiving an immediate shot in her comeback, and even more regarding the contentious decision in Utah.
But in addition to the scorecards, another post-fight topic has seen the newly crowned bantamweight queen on the receiving end of criticism.
Peña Reiterates Dismissal Of Harrison As Top Contender, Cites Fan Support
In her Octagon interview with Joe Rogan at UFC 307, Peña made good on her promise to call out Nunes, encouraging the “Lioness” to return from retirement in order for the pair to complete their trilogy.
Peña evidently hasn’t been swayed from her pursuit of Nunes in the days since, citing Harrison’s weight cut and fan support for another clash with the Brazilian legend as two reasons behind her preference during an interview with MMA Today on SiriusXM.
“The girl wants to take time off because she even knows that she can’t make the weight and that she’s not a rightful 135er,” Peña said. “She’s too big! She obviously can’t even make the first fight, which is making it to the Octagon. She needs time off. That, to me, is already a loss.
“Secondly, there was nothing that I saw in her fight against Ketlen Vieira that was (like), ‘Oh, some world beater! Oh my gosh, I’m terrified, Kayla Harrison!’ Give me a break. She went out there three weeks early and still gassed out,” Peña continued. “Kayla Harrison, get in line. I’ve got unfinished business to attend to. … Harrison just came to the party. Amanda Nunes is the big fight, the money fight, the fight that people want to see.”
"Kayla Harrison just came to the party. Amanda Nunes is the big fight, the money fight, the fight that people want to see."@VenezuelanVixen SOUNDED OFF on Kayla Harrison, Amanda Nunes & everyone who criticized her #UFC307 callout🗣️
It remains to be seen whether the former two-division champ is planning to head back into competition in pursuit of settling the score with Peña or facing ex-teammate Kayla Harrison.
Her bemusement at the American Top Team standout’s decision not to call her out at UFC 300 earlier this year would perhaps suggest the latter.
It would appear that what went down at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City has further spurred the comeback fire underneath former two-division champion Amanda Nunes.
Having hinted at a return from retirement earlier this year, two matchups appeared of interest to the Brazilian at this past weekend’s pay-per-view. Before her former opponents Raquel Pennington and Julianna Peña collided for the title she vacated last year, ex-teammate Kayla Harrison had her second UFC outing.
Following the two-time Olympic gold medalist’s Octagon debut in April, Nunes questioned why she hadn’t been called out. While her name remained absent from Harrison’s lips at UFC 307, the same can’t be said for “The Venezuelan Vixen.”
Whether it was that callout or Harrison’s performance earlier in the night, somebody seemingly got the Brazilian legend’s attention…
Did UFC 307 Awaken ‘The Lioness?’ Nunes Requests Call From The Boss
While Nunes remained silent in the immediate aftermath of Peña’s title win and subsequent callout, she emerged on social media this week with a message for UFC CEO Dana White.
MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, a Brazilian journalist, provided context behind her Instagram video video, noting that Nunes was singing along to “Outdoor,” a song created by Brazilian samba group Só Pra Contrariar.
The original lyrics include, “Oh please call,” and, “I Miss you so much.” Nunes is said to have altered the lyrics to, “Call me, please.”
If Nunes does officially commit to a return, it remains unclear whether her goal will be regaining the title, settling the score with Peña, or having a long-awaited showdown with former teammate Harrison.
Regardless, should predictions of “The Lioness” meeting the winner of the expected Peña vs. Harrison clash come to fruition, she’ll have the chance to kill two of those birds with one stone.
Julianna Peña regained the UFC women’s bantamweight title with a split decision victory over Raquel Pennington at UFC 307.
The judges saw the fight 48-47 across all three cards, though they differed on the victor. In the end, it was the closely contested opening round that decided the fight, with two of the three cageside scorers leaning the way of the challenger.
The two fighters were very competitive with one another, with Peña’s highlight being a back take in the third round that ended with a face crank attempt.
By far the most significant strike of the bout was landed in the fourth frame by “Rocky,” who — after having success with her hands — dropped the challenger.
Pennington followed up this big moment by attempting a submission that allowed Peña to recover, but she maintained the pressure to win the fifth round on all of the cards.
MMA Fans React To Julianna Peña’s Title-Winning Performance At UFC 307
The fight saw Peña return from a long layoff, having not fought since her rematch with Amanda Nunes, which she emphatically lost in July 2022.
During the post-fight interview, Joe Rogan prompted the new champion to talk about Kayla Harrison and her win earlier on in the night. Instead, Peña spoke about bringing “The Lioness” back to the Octagon for a trilogy fight.
MMA fans reacted to the close fight that stayed in one gear for the majority of the duration on social media.
Pennington won that shit #UFC307 they gave that decision to pena because refuses to get involved in all that media bullshit & actually wants to be a fighter 1st
In fact, she had hoped to be fighting for the title in the fight that will happen later on in the night between the champion Raquel Pennington and Julianna Peña.
There is potentially one scenario that could prevent this from happening, though, if a certain former champion decides that she wants her belt back.
Kayla Harrison Says She’s Happy For Amanda Nunes To Cut The Line Only After She Is Champion
Harrison has expressed some concern that Peña could hold the title up if she becomes champion this weekend because she isn’t the most active fighter on the roster.
Nunes announced her retirement in June last year and vacated the title in the process, meaning that she would seemingly be granted a title shot if “The Lioness” decided to step back in.
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Harrison said that she hopes this doesn’t happen, at least until she already has the belt in her hands.
“Yeah I mean, I hope not. I just don’t think she’ll ever fight me so I don’t think that her cutting the line, beating up Peña again and taking another big payday and then leaving, like that would really p*** me off. So I hope that I fight for the title and then if she wants to come cut the line, she’s more than welcome.”
Kayla Harrison recently opened up about her lingering rivalry with Amanda Nunes, voicing her wish for the Brazilian to come out of retirement.
One of the MMA world’s most tantalizing “what if” matchups has long centered around a potential showdown between Harrison and Nunes. Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo gold medalist, spent the majority of her MMA career in the PFL before making her highly anticipated UFC debut this past April. The former PFL women’s lightweight champion’s move to the UFC sparked renewed speculation about a possible clash with “The Lioness”.
The biggest hurdle to making this super fight a reality is that Nunes had already hung up her gloves following a unanimous decision win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in June 2023. That was nearly a year ago when “Doug” made her first Octagon appearance against Holly Holm at UFC 300.
Harrison and Nunes share a rich history, having long expressed mutual interest in facing off ever since their days as training partners at American Top Team (ATT) in Florida. However, following her shocking loss to Julianna Peña at UFC 269 in December 2021, “The Lioness” chose to sever ties with the gym.
Nunes later disclosed that her decision to leave ATT was fueled by unease, as she often found herself training alongside two fighters who could potentially become her opponents, Harrison and Yana Kunitskaya, making her departure feel inevitable.
Harrison Hopes For Nunes’ Return to Settle Unfinished Business
During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, the former Olympic gold medalist shared her thoughts on Nunes, who had hinted at a possible comeback after witnessing Harrison’s victory over Holm at UFC 300. However, since then, Nunes has gone completely silent, leaving Harrison and fans in suspense over whether the long-anticipated showdown will ever happen.
The 34-year-old Ohio native clarified that there’s no bad blood between her and “The Lioness”, yet she remains hopeful that the former two-division UFC champion will come out of retirement to face her.
“Selfishly, I hope that she does [come out of retirement], but again, I have no beef with Amanda other than her trying to throw American Top Team under the bus,” Harrison said. “You don’t play or don’t f**k with my homies. But listen, if she’s happy and she’s living her dream, that’s great, but selfishly, I would love for her to come back so that I can put all of the noise to rest.”
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña remains critical of Amanda Nunes’ decision to retire in mid-2023.
Nunes laid down her two titles and gloves in the Octagon following a successful 135-pound defense against irena Aldana. Their showdown at UFC 289 in Canada came about on short-notice following the withdrawal of Peña through injury.
Close by cageside on the night was “The Venezuelan Vixen,” who expected to set up a rearranged trilogy fight with the “Lioness.” Instead, the Brazilian announced a surprise retirement.
Peña’s boos and heckling during it made clear what she thought of the decision, and as talk of a comeback continues to float at the surface this year, the Spokane native remains frustrated by last year’s announcement…
Peña Slams ‘Drama Show’ From Nunes: ‘I Can’t Stand When People Retire & Then Come Back!’
During an interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Peña looked back on Nunes’ retirement, the continuation of which got thrown into doubt after she questioned Kayla Harrison’s decision not to call her out following a successful Octagon debut at UFC 300.
“I knew that she was prematurely retiring,” Peña said. “I can’t stand when people retire and then come back. It’s like, why retire in the first place? It’s just attention seeking. I think she should have just said, ‘I want a break and I’m gonna lay the belt down and let it be vacant. When I’m ready to fight for it again, I’ll fight for it again,’ instead of just building this drama show about how she’s ready to retire.
“I don’t think she’s ready to retire, I know that she wants to come back, and my objective is to get her to come back after I beat Raquel (Pennington),” Peña added.
Before looking to put her sights firmly back on the “Lioness,” Peña must make good on her promise to comfortably unseat Pennington in her very first defense. While unconfirmed, the pair are expected to collide at the Salt Lake City-held UFC 307 pay-per-view on October 5.
Should she achieve two-time champ status in 2024, perhaps Nunes will be tempted back to the cage. If not, a showdown with UFC newcomer Kayla Harrison would appear to be on the cards.
Should she become a two-time UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Julianna Peña plans to settle some unfinished business.
Peña hasn’t competed in almost two years, having not made the walk since losing the 135-pound strap in a rematch with Amanda Nunes at UFC 277 in Dallas, Texas, back in the summer of 2022.
The result brought “The Venezuelan Vixen’s” reign to a sudden halt six months on from her memorable and shocking submission of the “Lioness.”
While the pair were set to complete their trilogy last June in Canada, an injury suffered by Peña in training forced her out. In her place stepped Irene Aldana on short notice, and after outpointing the Mexican at UFC 289, Nunes laid down her two belts and announced her retirement.
A bemused Peña booed from cageside and has since expressed confidence that the Brazilian hasn’t permanently hung up the gloves. And she expects to prove as much by drawing Nunes back to the cage after bringing Raquel Pennington’s divisional rule to a close later this year…
Peña: Nunes Fight Would Be The ‘Biggest Trilogy In Women’s Combat Sports’
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Peña looked ahead to her long-awaited return to action and revealed what she hopes will follow a planned second title crowning.
While two-time Olympic gold medalist and former PFL champ Kayla Harrison made a splash in her Octagon debut by getting the better of Holly Holm, “The Venezuelan Vixen” has other plans when it comes to her first defense should she unseat Pennington.
“I still feel like the spidey senses and all that, that she (Nunes) will come back, and it’s just a matter of time before she does,” Peña said. “I don’t want to put the cart before the horse. I want to fight Raquel, I want my belt back, I’m getting my belt back. After that, I will absolutely be calling out Amanda, and I believe that she absolutely will come back because it’s too big of a fight for her.
“Of course, (I’ll call out Nunes, not Harrison). That’s like if I win the belt, I should also call out Ronda (Rousey), you know what I mean? Ronda has been escaping these fights with me for years. … Those are fights that I want. I want big fights, I want big money fights,” Peña continued, before being asked if she sees the Nunes trilogy as bigger than a Harrison bout. “Absolutely. We’re 1-1, unfinished business. … This would be the biggest trilogy in women’s combat sports.”
I have been tested by USADA since I was 12 years old. You will find every excuse in the world not to fight me. and the only shot in the ass people need around u is anti-nausea medication. https://t.co/rjEuoOBjVr
While the stage has long been set for a rivalry between Peña and Harrison even before the latter’s UFC signing, it would appear that the former bantamweight queen has no immediate plans to settle it inside the Octagon.
Kayla Harrison feels she needs to eventually square off with Cris “Cyborg” Justino and Amanda Nunes to claim GOAT status.
Harrison recently re-signed with the PFL following a lengthy free agency process in which she flirted with the idea of signing with top promotions such as Bellator and the UFC. Bellator offered the top deal for Harrison before PFL matched and ultimately signed her to a new contract.
Harrison has recently said that earning GOAT status is attainable in the PFL, despite some critics noting her alleged lack of competition in the league. She is undefeated in her MMA career and is coming off of another championship-winning season in the PFL.
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Harrison laid out her roadmap towards potentially earning the title of the greatest combat sports athlete of all time.
“I just think I have to keep putting one foot in front of the other,” Harrison said. “I think I definitely need to beat Cyborg. I’d really like to fight Amanda, beat Amanda if I’m going to go ahead and say it. That’s obviously in the cards. I gotta win a couple more titles. If I win belts in every major organization or beat champions in every major organization, then does that make me the greatest of all time?”
Kayla Harrison (Image Credit: PFL MMA)
Harrison has dominated her competition to this point in her professional career, most recently finishing Taylor Guardado and Genah Fabian. She is expected to get a step up in competition this year after the league signed former Bellator champion Julia Budd for the 2022 season.
Harrison had previously been coy regarding a fight with Nunes but seems more open to it now after Nunes’ departure from American Top Team. She and Justino have also gone back-and-forth on social media in recent weeks, ramping up talks of a fight between them.
Harrison will have the opportunity to silence the critics in 2022 and beyond. If she’s able to defeat top female fighters such as Nunes and Justino, it would be hard to argue against the notion that she deserves to be in the all-time great conversation.
How do you think Kayla Harrison would fare against Amanda Nunes and Cris Cyborg?
In a recent exclusive interview with MMA News, Dern, who became a mother herself in 2019, provided her thoughts on her UFC peer’s controversial comments.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CanHbtspFnB/
Dern: I Disagree With Peña, But Understand Her Take
Like many, Dern, the current #5-ranked 115-pound contender, disagrees with the idea a fighter can only become a ‘mom champ’ if she’s given birth.
Nevertheless, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist told MMA News she understands where Peña is coming from, and identified some of the benefits that could come for those who didn’t go through pregnancy and delivery.
“I think each family is different,” said Dern. “I don’t think that actually giving birth is what makes the mom champ, you know what I mean? Because, I mean, the guys, they have tons of guys, men, that dedicate a lot of time with their kids and all things like that. But also, too, they have the guys that have the moms, the wives, that’s been kinda help(ing) with their career, their training, and the guys can just focus on training, and they have the wife that helps them out and can just take care of the kids for them, and be that support team for them.
“I don’t know. I don’t really agree with the whole, ‘Oh, because they’re giving birth, they’re the mom champ.’ But, I mean, I understand what she’s trying to say,” concluded Dern.
As well as discussing Peña’s comments on motherhood, Dern also touched on topics like her recent knee injury, her upcoming return to action at UFC 273 against Tecia Torres, and the impending return of former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk during her interview with MMA News.
Since returning from her maternity break, Dern has shot back into contention. After suffering her first setback in professional MMA at the hands of Amanda Ribas, the 28-year-old won four straight bouts, three of which ended via first-round submission.
Having dropped her last contest to Marina Rodriguez, Dern will be hoping to return to the win column and the title conversation when she enters the Octagon for the first time in 2022. In her way of doing so will be Tecia Torres, who has had an impressive resurgence in recent times.
Given that she’s on the right side of 30, Dern will be hoping to join the club of mom champs in the coming years, a pursuit that will first have to get through a certain “Tiny Tornado.”
UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña feels she still has plenty to prove in the upcoming rematch against Amanda Nunes.
Peña pulled off arguably the biggest upset in UFC history at UFC 269, dismantling Nunes on the feet before eventually securing a rear-naked choke for the finish. It was Nunes’ first loss in the Octagon since 2014 when she lost to Cat Zingano at UFC 178.
Peña has enjoyed the newfound fame after her win over Nunes but still deals with her fair share of critics despite the success. During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Peña explained how she still has a vocal group of haters who believe her win over Nunes was an outlier.
“There’s still naysayers out there,” Peña said. “There’s still people that think there was a fluke. There’s people that are still harassing me. There’s still people that are being like, ‘She’s gonna kill you.’ They’re like, ‘10 seconds and you’re dead.’ And so I would love nothing more than to put the naysayers to bed for one last time.”
Peña and Nunes will have a rematch later this year following coaching opposite one another on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter. Peña pulled off an all-time great victory at UFC 269, and she’s looking to prove that she’s here to stay as the UFC bantamweight queen
How do you think the Julianna Peña -Amanda Nunes rematch will play out?
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Julianna Peña is looking ahead to her rematch with Amanda Nunes, and knows there are some areas of her game she needs to fix before their second clash.
At UFC 269, the final pay-per-view of 2021, Peña closed out a memorable year for MMA’s premier promotion in style. In the co-main event, she had her long-awaited title shot against then-two-division titleholder Nunes. Prior to December, the “Lioness” boasted a 12-fight win streak and was unbeaten since 2014.
While most expected that impressive run of form to continue into 2022, “The Venezuelan Vixen” had other plans.
After evading Nunes’ intent to finish in the opening round, Peña put her own game plan into action, taking the fight to the Brazilian on the feet, before dragging her to the mat and submitting a visibly fatigued and disheartened Nunes.
While the memory of her remarkable ascent to the bantamweight throne remains fresh and spoken about in most interviews, Peña is beginning to adjust her focus towards her next task: a second victory over Nunes.
With her first defense and rematch with Nunes on the horizon, “The Venezuelan Vixen” knows she has to make adjustments to her game, and has acknowledged that she made some “very big mistakes” at UFC 269.
“I would say I’ve watched (UFC 269 fight) at least four times. As far as my assessment, there’s definitely some very big mistakes that I made, and I’m looking to correct those,” Peña told BT Sport’s Caroline Pearce. “I’m already starting my training camp, I’m trying to get back in shape right now. I’m gonna give myself one last hurrah to keep my hair down tonight, and then after that it’s straight business.
“I got dumped in the first round and that really pissed my coaches off,” added Peña. “So, I just need to make sure I don’t get dumped again in the next fight. Aside from that, I think, hey, it’s fighting, mistakes are going to happen.”
Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes are the front-runners to coach the next season of TUF, per sources.
