Nov 15, 2025; New York, NY, UNITED STATES; Valentina Shevchenko (red gloves) reacts after defeating Zhang Weili (not pictured) in the womens flyweight championship bout during UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

mma

Prime Form Or Payday Fight? Valentina Shevchenko Breaks Down Amanda Nunes Potential Return

Retirement in combat sports rarely means forever anymore sadly. Fighters announce they are done only to return months later. The allure of one more payday proves too tempting for most. George St-Pierre came back after years away from competition. Conor McGregor keeps teasing returns despite endless inactivity currently. Even legends struggle walking away from the spotlight permanently.

Amanda Nunes shocked everyone by retiring after defeating Irene Aldana in 2023. ‘The Lioness’ had dominated women’s MMA for years across two divisions. She held both the bantamweight and featherweight titles simultaneously. Most considered her the greatest female fighter ever without question. But recently she’s been teasing a comeback to the octagon. Now Valentina Shevchenko has broken down Kayla Harrison vs Amanda Nunes with some brutally honest takes about motivations and ring rust.

Valentina Shevchenko Speaks About Harrison vs Nunes

Shevchenko didn’t hold back when discussing Nunes’s potential return recently. Talking to Ariel Helwani , the flyweight champion questioned what version of Amanda would actually show up.

“It’s unknown in what shape she’s going to return. Half Amanda? Maybe full Amanda? Who knows. What shape will she be back? Is she coming back the same prime that she was?If she’s coming back just to get some money because she’s run out from money, it’s going to be different.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Uncrowned (@uncrowned)

That uncertainty makes perfect sense when fans think about it. Nunes has been away from serious competition for over two years. Training casually at home differs drastically from fight camp preparation. The body loses sharpness and timing during extended layoffs. Mental focus also deteriorates without the pressure of upcoming bouts. Many retired fighters return looking like shells of their former selves.

Shevchenko then got even more pointed about Nunes’s possible motivations. She essentially suggested Nunes might be broke and desperate. Fighting for paychecks vs fighting for legacy produces completely different performances. Nobody wants to see a legend return just to get knocked out.

Nunes has expressed interest in fighting Kayla Harrison. She’s also floated dropping down to flyweight to challenge Shevchenko again. These two have fought twice before, with Nunes winning both fights. Shevchenko said she’s open to facing Nunes for a third time. But nothing has been made official by the UFC yet.

(Image Credit: Ed Mulholland – Imagn Images)

Amanda Nunes

Kayla Harrison

Valentina Shevchenko

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!