Kayla Harrison had simply barely stepped out of the octagon this previous Saturday at T-Cell Enviornment earlier than a sequence of cell telephones have been shoved in her face, all displaying the identical social media publish.
Everybody had the identical query: “Did you see this?”
This was a publish from former two-division UFC champ Amanda Nunes, who’d posted a selfie video as Harrison gave her victory speech following a dominant win over Holly Holm at UFC 300. Nunes appeared to count on a callout from Harrison and was upset when her title didn’t get talked about. Later, she posted a graphic touting her lengthy checklist of victims with a caption “The Goat.”
“I anticipated her to talk,” Harrison stated Monday on The MMA Hour. “I anticipated her and one different individual to [chirp].”
That different individual, Cris Cyborg, got here very near reserving a struggle with Harrison within the PFL. However the struggle by no means got here to fruition, and Harrison signed with the UFC, so most of their preventing was accomplished over the web. Cyborg piggybacked on Nunes’ message, calling for the winner of the struggle, an impossibility given her PFL contract and dramatic exit from the UFC.
Nunes was a way more fascinating growth, nevertheless. Harrison thought “The Lioness” was retired, therefore why she didn’t problem a callout after beating Holm.
“She’s been retired for some time now, Harrison stated. “If Amanda was nonetheless right here, and she or he was holding the belt, then I might have been calling for Amanda Nunes. However for all intents and functions, I assumed she was fortunately retired and dwelling her finest life.”
With Nunes hinting at a comeback, Harrison’s UFC profession may shortly shift. It’s clear she is a high contender after stomping Holm. However a title struggle between present bantamweight champ Raquel Pennington and ex-champ Julianna Pena is anticipated for later this yr. If Nunes does return to struggle the winner, that might delay Harrison’s title marketing campaign probably a yr.
Or may it?
“I heard ‘Rocky’ is damage hastily, so if she will be able to’t struggle proper now, I’m comfortable to struggle whoever this summer season,” Harrison stated.
Pennington didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from MMA Combating. However Pena lately echoed Harrison, saying her anticipated title shot towards Pennington may very well be delayed till October.
What does that each one imply? Something is feasible for Harrison’s future. She likes the thought of an interim title struggle with Pena at UFC 303 on June 29.
“After which I’ll find yourself unifying it and struggle Amanda,” she stated.
If Harrison does find yourself preventing Nunes, her former teammate at American Prime Group, she stated there might be loads of promotional ammunition. The 2 shared coaching area for a number of years as she transitioned from judo to MMA and Nunes dominated the UFC’s bantamweight and featherweight divisions.
In early 2022, Nunes abruptly left ATT, and hypothesis instantly pointed to Harrison as one of many causes.
Harrison, after all, can’t converse for Nunes, however she acknowledges that someplace alongside the road, they grew to become rivals as an alternative of colleagues.
“Amanda’s worst enemy is her personal thoughts,” Harrison stated. “I feel that Amanda’s worst enemy is her personal thoughts. She received it in her head that I used to be coming for her. I feel after she misplaced to Juliana, she thought that I used to be going to get within the cage and problem her, which was not true, not the case, not even close to true. She thought that everybody on the workforce was towards her. Once more, not true, not the case. Everybody on the workforce was doing their finest to maintain us in separate organizations, despite the fact that I needed to go [from the PFL to the UFC] then; I used to be like, ‘I’m out, let’s go.’ I feel they have been nonetheless a 145 [division in the UFC]. I used to be like, ‘Come on, let’s do that.’
“So I feel it simply left a foul style in her personal thoughts. She simply had this not true picture of what was taking place behind the scenes, and she or he didn’t actually ask anyone, she simply sort of assumed, after which she left, and I’ve no ailing will towards Amanda. I feel she’s nice. She’s the GOAT for a cause. She’s superior. I don’t assume that the unhealthy mouthing that she’s accomplished about my workforce is truthful or acceptable, and I don’t respect that, and I’ve private beef with that, however aside from that… .”
Harrison isn’t positive whether or not she’ll find yourself preventing Nunes, or Pena, or Pennington subsequent. Her high precedence is capturing the UFC title. If she additionally managed to defeat the GOAT, that might damage both.
However sure, she’s gotten Nunes’ message, loud and clear. Whether or not they find yourself assembly later this yr, subsequent yr, or in no way, she’s able to show she’s a greater fighter than anybody, previous or current.
