We’re just moments away from the electrifying bantamweight title clash between Kayla Harrison and Julianna Peña. The two-time Olympic gold medalist stands on the brink of becoming the new face of women’s MMA, filling the void left by legends like Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes. But is that really the case?
We’re asking because the former two-division queen, Nunes, seems like she isn’t done just yet. After years away from the Octagon, whispers of her return have turned into full-blown roars. Her recent cryptic move has all but confirmed it—she’s not coming back for a good time, she’s coming back for a long reign.
During a recent Q&A session on Wednesday at the Prudential Center, Amanda Nunes was asked whether she is really coming back to the Octagon for a one-off. In reply, the former dual-weight champion asserted that she is indeed coming back and is ready to take on either of them.
“I have Kayla by decision, and honestly, I’m like, I’m a champion, you know? Either one, I’m going to be ready for,” Nunes said. “I’m ready to stay here. I’m going to take the belt back. I’m going to defend as long as possible. As long as my body can handle, I’m going to be here.”
‘The Lioness’ has been teasing her comeback for months now. Back in March, when someone asked the former dual-weight champion about her return, she simply nodded, giving us a subtle hint about her intentions. And now that her official statement has been revealed, the women’s division is about to catch fire once again.
Amanda Nunes is picking Kayla Harrison to defeat Julianna Peña by decision, but whoever wins The Lioness is ready to return! #UFC316 | Saturday | LIVE on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/Udfe3FAVbE
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 6, 2025
Interestingly, there was a time when Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes were teammates. Both fighters trained at American Top Team (ATT) in Florida, where they spent a lot of time sparring and drilling together. Now they might be on the verge of facing each other, considering if Harrison navigates her way past Peña and wins the belt.
For her part, Amanda Nunes has the opportunity to break the comeback curse. The last double champion to return to the UFC in an attempt to revive his career, Henry Cejudo, was plagued by defeat after defeat. Now, with Nunes in a similar position, many believe the former dual-weight champion could suffer the same fate. Interestingly, Kayla Harrison has a game plan for herself as well, which includes handing a loss to Amanda Nunes.
Kayla Harrison’s manager reveals grim fate for Amanda Nunes
With a career record of 18 victories and only one defeat, Kayla Harrison has finished most of her opponents inside the Octagon, boasting a 72% finish rate. Dana White brought her into the UFC for one reason: to dominate. And that’s exactly what she’s been doing. Harrison is currently 2-0 in the UFC and is riding a three-fight winning streak. Interestingly, her manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has big plans for her—not just in the UFC, but also in WWE.
While having a conversation with the media, Ali Abdelaziz revealed, “This is the roadmap. I want Kayla to win the [women’s bantamweight championship] on Saturday. Amanda Nunes will come back. We fight for this 145 [pound] title. Kayla will beat her at 145 [pounds]. Amanda will cut down to 135 [pounds]. Kayla will beat her at 135 [pounds] and Kayla will have two UFC championships.”
He further added, “This is what I would love for Kayla to do, and after that, I would like to go to WWE to win a WWE title too.” Looking past Amanda Nunes and focusing on WWE is what Team Kayla Harrison seems to be doing—but are they in a position to underestimate someone like The Lioness? Well, we’ll get the answer soon enough, as UFC 316 is just hours away from going live.
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