Due to her Olympic experience, Kayla Harrison is always getting judged harder than other fighters with similar MMA experience. And that’s even from other champions, like Amanda Nunes.
Harrison only started competing in pro MMA in 2018, but has quickly racked up a 19-1 record due to very active years in PFL tournaments. Now she’s 3-0 in the UFC and the new women’s bantamweight champion, having taken the belt off Julianna Pena at UFC 316. But freshly unretired former 135 and 145 UFC champ Nunes doesn’t give her much credit for that.
“I’m not impressed,” Nunes told The Schmo in a recent interview. “I think she did what she’s supposed to do.”
Harrison beat Pena with five seconds left in the second round of their fight, grabbing a kimura and using her impressive strength to force a tap.
“She saw she could beat Julianna,” Nunes said. “She saw the arm, and then she got the arm, and she beat Julianna. So I’m happy for her.”
While Harrison clearly has Nunes as a name she wants on her record, Nunes sounds more excited to be back in the fighting world than specifically fighting the two-time gold medalist.
“I just want to fight again,” Nunes said. “I decided to come back for something that I really enjoy to be in. Honestly, that’s why I left for two years: because I don’t want to be burned out. I got the rest that I need and everything. Why not come back?”
Nunes’ wrecking ball reputation waned a little in the final fights of her career as she started to go five rounds against opponents she’d have crushed prior to 2020. Will we see “The Lioness” that earned first round knockouts of Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Holly Holm against Harrison? Or is that asking too much of the 37 year old legend when facing one of the greatest challenges of her career?
We’ll see whenever the UFC books Harrison vs. Nunes, hopefully sooner than later.
