Two former teammates look set to collide after Kayla Harrison’s faceoff with Amanda Nunes at UFC 316.
Harrison achieved her title ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage Saturday night in Newark, where she co-headlined the UFC’s latest pay-per-view event at the Prudential Center.
Challenging for the women’s bantamweight crown, Harrison submitted Julianna Pena via kimura with seconds remaining in round two.
The result has set up a highly anticipated super fight between the new bantamweight queen and Nunes, the returning former two-division champion.
Harrison and Nunes’ history as teammates has added a new layer to the former’s expected first title defense. But the Brazilian has warned her American rival not to dwell on how their training sessions went.
Amanda Nunes says Kayla Harrison didn’t meet the real ‘Lioness’ in the gym
After watching Harrison’s dominant display to dethrone Pena and subsequently facing off with the newly crowned champ, Nunes made her way to the ESPN desk.
Speaking to Brett Okamoto and UFC commentator Jon Anik, Nunes opened up on her history with Harrison, admitting that she left ATT because of the former judoka’s presence.
The Brazilian also sent a warning, insisting that Harrison only trained with an “out of shape” version of the ‘Lioness’ and is yet to meet the real deal.
“Me and her, we used to train,” Nunes said. “I was completely out of shape. Every time I would come back to the gym somehow we were training. I was like, ‘Damn, I’ve got to train with Kayla when I’m completely out of shape? That’s not fair.’
“Now we are going to see each other when I’m full time in camp; 100 percent strong, the ‘Lioness’.
“She is going to know exactly who I am inside the cage.”
Kayla Harrison’s manager still doubts Amanda Nunes’ UFC comeback plans
Despite all signs pointing toward Harrison and Nunes squaring off next, not everyone is convinced.
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Harrison’s manager Ali Abdelaziz revealed why his experience sitting close by to Nunes at UFC 316 has made him question her commitment to another run.
“When Amanda was in the UFC, no one really cared, when she left, nobody cared,” Abdelaziz said.
“Now, Kayla brought her back and Kayla created a moment like, ‘This is a big fight’, the environment and how she brought her in.
“I have my doubts about Amanda,” Abdelaziz added. “First, she was sat next to me and her energy, she wanted Kayla to lose…she definitely wanted Julianna to win, that’s 100 percent. And if you want to fight someone, you want them to win to challenge them, right?
“She wanted Kayla to lose, I’m just being real.”
One hurdle to the super-fight coming to fruition is Nunes returning to the UFC’s testing pool, as Dana White confirmed during his press conference in Newark that the Brazilian remains absent.