UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison is preparing for a highly anticipated fight against Amanda Nunes. The matchup is notable not only because both are elite fighters, but also because the two were once training partners at American Top Team.
Harrison Looks Forward to Nunes Fight
Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, said that training with Nunes played a big role in her move to Florida.
“She is a big reason for me moving down to Florida,” Harrison explained. “I had tried a bunch of different gyms, and I came down, met Mike Brown. My second day there, I sparred her, and I was like, ‘Holy sh*t!’ Yeah, sketchy, and I hadn’t even had an MMA fight yet actually. Very quickly I was like, ‘Oh, this is it. This is where I’ve got to be.’
“You want to be the best, you’ve got to train with the best, but our paths didn’t cross a ton in training. She was already way up here and had a lot of privates and one-on-ones. So I always made myself readily available. Like, anything you need, I’m your girl, use me, pick me. So yeah, we trained a little bit but not a lot to be honest, which, for me, was unfortunate.”
Harrison emphasized that her fight with Nunes will not be fueled by tension or personal issues. She compared the matchup to the infamous rivalry between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, which included legal issues and public conflict.
“For me, it was not weird. There was never any animosity or tension,” Harrison said. “I think that when we did train together, I always wanted to make it so that she would want to train with me again, and I wanted to encourage and foster that relationship. Again, I had nothing but respect for her. When she won, I felt joy. And when she lost, I was devastated because she was a part of American Top Team. I’m a very loyal person. I’m a ride-or-die. I started my career at American Top Team, I had all my fights there, and so when you’re on our team, I take that seriously.”
Harrison continued to describe her mindset heading into the fight.
“I know everyone jokes that I’m self-proclaimed team captain, but I’m like the old lady in the team, and I’m definitely the team captain at this point. It’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly, so there’s no animosity from me. There never was. I have nothing personal against her. I think she’s a great fighter, I think she’s a great champion, I think she’s a good person, a good mother. This isn’t going to be like a Colby-Masvidal. This is going to be like, hey, these are the two best fighters in the world. Let’s go out there and put it all on the line, which is the most beautiful and exciting thing for me.” via MMAJunkie
Both fighters bring a wealth of experience and skill to the cage. Harrison’s Olympic judo background gives her exceptional grappling ability, while Nunes’ legacy as a former dual-division champion demonstrates elite striking and fight IQ.
Kayla Harrison’s most recent victory occurred on June 7, 2025, at UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey. She faced Julianna Peña for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship. Harrison dominated the fight, securing a Kimura submission in the final seconds of Round 2, claiming the title and remaining undefeated in her UFC career.
Amanda Nunes announced her retirement from mixed martial arts after her dominant victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 on June 10, 2023, in Vancouver, Canada. Following the fight, she laid her gloves and belts in the center of the Octagon, signaling the end of her illustrious career as a two-division champion.
After a two-year hiatus, Nunes announced her return to the UFC on June 5, 2025, expressing interest in facing the winner of the Harrison vs. Peña bout. This sets the stage for a highly anticipated matchup between Harrison and Nunes, marking a significant event in women’s MMA.
