Kayla Harrison has been told to retire on top after becoming a UFC champion.
The Olympic gold medalist judoka submitted Julianna Pena at UFC 316 on Saturday night.
In doing so, Kayla Harrison became the bantamweight champion and set up a fight with Amanda Nunes.
The former teammates squared off inside the Octagon post-fight to promote their eagerly anticipated matchup – but it’s quickly become clear that not everyone wants to see Harrison face Amanda Nunes next.
Demetrious Johnson wants Kayla Harrison to retire
Flyweight legend Demetrious Johnson watched UFC 316 from the comfort of his own home.
The man widely regarded as one of the best fighters ever gave his thoughts on the event afterward.
‘Mighty Mouse’ shockingly advised Harrison to retire and avoid a legacy-defining fight with Nunes.
“If I was Kayla Harrison, I would retire from the sport,” Johnson said on his YouTube channel.
“Don’t fight Amanda Nunes. Amanda is gonna… We’ll talk about that in the breakdown.”
Later in the video, Johnson explained why he thinks Harrison should walk away from MMA.
He added: “Kayla Harrison is calling out Amanda Nunes, I think that is a very bad idea.
“Kayla Harrison is a world champion, but if you look at the roster of what Amanda Nunes fought and what Kayla Harrison has fought, there’s no f—— comparison… The talent pool Amanda Nunes has fought, blows everything Kayla Harrison had done in her entire career.
“Amanda Nunes doesn’t need to come out of retirement. I think the only thing enticing her to come out of retirement is probably how easy the fight might be.
“It’s not something I’m jumping out of my seat to see. I’d rather see Amanda Nunes stay retired, and maybe see Kayla Harrison fight one more time and then retire.”
Amanda Nunes faces UFC comeback delay
Amanda Nunes retired on top after beating Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in June 2023.
‘The Lioness’ hopes to end her spell away from the sport by facing Harrison later this year.
However, Nunes vs Harrison faces a major hurdle that could delay their super fight until 2026.
Nunes hasn’t been a part of the UFC drug testing pool for the past two years.
As a result, she’ll have to complete six months of random drug tests before returning to the Octagon.
December would be the earliest Nunes would be allowed to make a comeback unless she gets an unlikely exemption from the powers that be.
So, fight fans shouldn’t get too excited about seeing the greatest female fighter of all time back in action too soon.