Kayla Harrison explains why Amanda Nunes superfight will be 'so special'
Kayla Harrison's title-winning performance at UFC 316 was dominant, but the post-fight faceoff with Amanda Nunes? Now that was perfect.
Harrison accomplished her long desired goal of becoming a UFC champion earlier this month when she submitted Julianna Peña to claim the women's bantamweight title in the UFC 316 co-main event. It was the pinnacle of Harrison's illustrious combat sports career, which includes two Olympic gold medals in judeo and two PFL titles.
"It was just God's plan," Harrison told MMA Junkie. "I got the win. I expected to go 25 hard minutes, but it didn't go that way, and it was beautiful. I got to say what I felt was laid on my heart to say, and Joe (Rogan) was kind of congratulating me to have me wrap up the interview. They cut to Amanda, I saw her on the jumbotron, and I was like, 'God's giving me another layup, here we go.'"
Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC), who are former training partners at American Top Team, had a friendly interaction after the fight before they got their first up-close look at each other as adversaries. It was a moment that meant a lot to Harrison.
"There's nothing but respect from me," Harrison said. "I've said this for a long time, whether she takes it how I mean it or not, that's up to her interpretation. It's not my business what other people think of me, but I have nothing but respect for her. I mean it as an honor that she is the best female fighter, considered the best female fighter on the planet, and I believe it's my time. I want to fight her, and I'm ready."
Nunes, the consensus greatest female MMA fighter of all time with wins over Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, and a host of other notable names, is coming out of retirement to fight Harrison. With her legacy already secured, Nunes certainly doesn't figure to gain much from fighting Harrison.
Harrison knows this and is appreciative of the opportunity.
"I don't know. I mean, I love it, and I'm not gonna question it. Very grateful for it," Harrison said of Nunes' decision to fight her. "But you don't get to be the greatest of all time by not taking risks. I think that's who she is. That's why this fight is gonna be so special, because these are two women who really believe in themselves and who want to go in the cage and lock the door and prove that they are who they say they are. I think this is gonna bring women's MMA to a whole new level. I think people are gonna have a totally different level of respect after this."
No date is set for the highly anticipated fight between Harrison and Nunes, but UFC CEO Dana White indicated it could happen before the end of the year.
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