Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Kayla Harrison Reflects on Her First Sparring Session With Amanda Nunes

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Kayla Harrison cemented her status as a force in the UFC after dismantling Juliana Pena at UFC 316 to claim the women’s bantamweight title, with a second-round kimura submission. Harrison’s dominance was undeniable, outstriking and outwrestling Pena, who couldn’t counter the Olympic champion’s relentless pressure. The fight ended with Pena tapping out in pain, and if it would have been held any second longer, Harrison could have broke her arm. Despite the one-sided beatdown, the buildup to this fight was quite intense, as both fighters traded a lot of words, with Pena questioning Harrison’s credentials and Harrison mocking Pena’s questioning.

At #UFC316… the new bantamweight champ quoted John 3:16.

Immediately after her win by submission, @KaylaH and her opponent, Julianna Peña, embraced in prayer.

Powerful. pic.twitter.com/Y9a1jXoNhF
— CCM Magazine (@CCMmagazine) June 8, 2025

However, post fight, the bad blood was dissolved in a touching moment, as they hugged each other in the octagon, reciting a prayer for one another and mutual respect between the two, which was lovely to see as a fan.

The victory also set the stage for a blockbuster clash, with Harrison calling out Amanda Nunes, who entered the cage for a faceoff, which may have also confirmed her return from retirement. The MMA world right now is buzzing for this superfight, pitting Harrison’s Olympic achievements against Nunes’ legendary resume.

Harrison Recalls Nunes Sparring Session

On the Ariel Helwani show, Kayla Harrison reflected on her first sparring session with Amanda Nunes at the American Top Team, admitting, “She kicked my ass, but one of us stopped after 2 rounds,” claiming that Nunes stopped after sparring with Harrison for two rounds. Harrison, then a novice, saw Nunes’ dominance as a personal benchmark, saying, “This girl is the best in the world. If you want to be the best, you gotta train with the best.”

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Nunes vs. Harrison Looms Large

Amanda Nunes, widely regarded as the GOAT of women’s MMA, is set to challenge Harrison after their UFC 316 faceoff, where Harrison actively promoted the fight, screaming for Nunes to join her in the cage. While the potential fight has caught a lot of hype and for all the right reasons, the fact remains that Nunes vs. Harrison may not happen this year as Dana White revealed that she is still not back in Anti-Doping testing pool and she must be in it for six months before she can make her official comeback.

Amanda Nunes

Kayla Harrison

UFC

Eric Divakaran

nba

nfl

mma

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