Amanda Nunes is back in action. The former UFC two-division champion rejoined the UFC’s anti-doping program in 2025, per the official UFC anti-doping website, setting up her return from retirement. After stepping away in 2023, Nunes wants to reclaim the women’s bantamweight title. Her likely opponent is Kayla Harrison, the current champion, following their intense face-off in June 2025.
Nunes’ Comeback Plan
Nunes announced her return after Harrison beat Julianna Pena at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025, to win the bantamweight title. The two faced off in the cage, stirring talk of a major fight. Nunes, once Harrison’s teammate at American Top Team, left the gym in 2021 to avoid tension, expecting this matchup.
UFC rules require retired fighters to complete six months of drug testing before competing. Nunes’ entry into the testing pool, confirmed by the UFC anti-doping website, puts her on track to fight in December 2025 or anytime in 2026, though nothing is confirmed. She said she’s ready to train full-time for Harrison.
Amanda Nunes, now 37, has a 23-5 record with 13 knockouts. She was the first woman to win UFC titles in two divisions, bantamweight and featherweight, holding both from 2018 to 2020. She defended the bantamweight belt five times and the featherweight belt twice, beating every champion in both divisions, including Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg.
Her career faced challenges. Nunes lost the bantamweight title to Julianna Pena in 2021 but regained it in 2022. Her last fight was a unanimous decision win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 on June 10, 2023, before retiring. She entered the UFC Hall of Fame in June 2025.
The UFC wants to book Nunes against Harrison, given their past as teammates. Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo gold medalist, won the title in her second UFC fight, dominating Pena. Nunes called the fight a tough test but believes she’s still at her peak.
Nunes’ return adds excitement to the bantamweight division. Her testing period makes the fight’s timing unclear, but the UFC sees it as a huge matchup. With Nunes’ legacy and Harrison’s rise, their clash could be one of the biggest in women’s MMA history.
