Amanda Nunes isn’t rushing anything, but she’s more than ready.The former two-division UFC champion plans to wait for Kayla Harrison to recover from neck surgery, and she hopes their long-anticipated showdown lands on the historic June 14 UFC card at the White House.
“The Lioness” was originally set to end her retirement at UFC 324 in January, where she would have challenged Harrison for bantamweight gold. Those plans fell apart when Harrison underwent surgery for a lingering neck issue. Still, Amanda Nunes traveled to Las Vegas and stayed active, helping prepare Priscila Cachoeira for UFC Vegas 113 while stepping into her new role as head coach.
“I think she has six months to recover and give some feedback to the UFC,” Amanda Nunes told UFC Brasil. “I saw that she’s already back at the gym and that makes me really happy. I wish her all the best in her recovery and everything because of course I need her. How could I wish her bad? I want her to recover as fast as possible, and I’ll be right here. Everything depends on her now for us to make this fight happen, maybe at the White House. I think that would be perfect. And I’ll be ready.”
Amanda Nunes retired in 2023 after defending her bantamweight title against Irene Aldana. She closed out her career — at least temporarily — with a résumé that includes dominant victories over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, and Miesha Tate. She won 16 of her 18 UFC appearances and cemented her legacy as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history.
Now, Amanda Nunes says the hunger feels exactly the same as it did when she first captured UFC gold.
“I am the Lioness,” Amanda Nunes said. “When I decided to come back, I jumped in head first again. I’m living my dream all over again from scratch, you know? Back at UFC 200, in that first interview we did, the Amanda you see today is an Amanda who wants to touch that belt again, with the same dream, the same focus, everything. And now much better than before.”
At 37 years old, Amanda Nunes believes she’s evolved — physically and mentally.
“This camp was perfect,” Nunes said. “My body, I’ve never been able to get into this kind of shape before. I’m 37 years old and I’m extremely mature, both outside and inside the cage. I’ve learned a lot, and I’m still discovering myself as an athlete, discovering things I had never discovered before. I’m still in a huge process of evolution, and I’m going to evolve even more. I still have a lot to bring back to MMA and to keep this division moving. I want to get my belt back, and I’ll defend it too. I’m back.”
Amanda Nunes and Harrison once trained together at American Top Team, and despite going their separate ways, the respect remains mutual. Harrison entered the UFC on a surge, picking up wins over Holm, Ketlen Vieira, and Julianna Peña after a dominant PFL run. However, her timeline for a full return remains unclear.
That uncertainty doesn’t bother Amanda Nunes. She insists she won’t suffer from ring rust, even if a potential White House fight happens nearly three years after her last bout.
For Amanda Nunes, this comeback isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about reclaiming what she believes still belongs to her.
If Harrison recovers on schedule, the UFC could land one of the biggest women’s fights in promotional history, possibly on one of the most historic stages the sport has ever seen.
