‘Turned Me Off’ — Amanda Nunes Will get Sincere About Why She Stop UFC and How Kayla Harrison Motivated Her To Contemplate a Return

The ladies’s MMA GOAT is formally on her method again. Amanda Nunes, who’s been out of the octagon for practically two years, has discovered new motivation to return. She’ll be at UFC 316, holding an in depth eye on the Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison bout.

Why Did Amanda Nunes Select to Come Again?

“The Lioness” retired in June 2023 after a dominant win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289, vacating her UFC girls’s bantamweight title. By then, she had already overwhelmed practically each main title in each the bantamweight and featherweight divisions—Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Valentina Shevchenko, and Julianna Peña amongst them.

Nunes had nothing left to show, and bodily put on and tear—particularly nerve harm in her legs—made strolling away a straightforward choice.

In a current interview with the New York Publish, Nunes opened up about that retirement choice. On the time, her first youngster was nonetheless very younger, and the calls for of MMA coaching started to conflict together with her function as a mum or dad.

She additionally mentioned the thought of going through the identical opponents once more turned demotivating.

“It’s identical to a few bizarre emotions I used to be having as a result of additionally the division, the opponents… I used to be type of like, ‘Okay, after this I’m going to return and struggle all these ladies once more?’ For me, like, turned me off slightly bit,” Nunes mentioned.

However two years later, the panorama has modified. Nunes is wholesome once more, and the ladies’s bantamweight division has a recent title on the prime: Kayla Harrison. That improvement reignited the hearth in Nunes.

Harrison’s UFC debut, particularly, caught her consideration.

“I really feel like that undoubtedly motivated me as effectively as a result of she already was speaking about me for thus lengthy for the reason that PFL days. When she lastly signed… I used to be in Brazil. I mentioned, like, ‘Okay, that’s making me excited as a competitor,’” Nunes mentioned.

The 2 fighters have a historical past. They as soon as skilled below the identical roof at American High Staff. Nunes left ATT in 2022, which sparked some controversy. Harrison has mentioned they used to coach collectively and even attended one another’s household occasions—however they’re not in touch.

MORE: Remembering Kayla Harrison’s PFL Profession

Nonetheless, Nunes clarified that they have been by no means shut coaching companions.

“If you happen to actually click on with the particular person… in case you really feel like, ‘Okay, we will hang around extra,’ I really feel like not even me, not even her—we didn’t have that for one another,” she mentioned. However she made it clear there’s no private beef.

Nunes additionally mentioned the start of her second youngster performed a job in her return.

“I’ve a brand new one which’s by no means been there… I need her to have reminiscences [of the arena], too,” she mentioned.

Today, she’s coaching twice a day and mentioned her muscle reminiscence has returned. “The Lioness” added that she’s able to struggle both Peña or Harrison—and plans not solely to win the title however defend it.

Harrison Doesn’t Need To Be the Second Biggest

Harrison’s personal legacy is spectacular. She dominated the PFL, owns an elite judo résumé, and seemed robust in her UFC debut. Nonetheless, even she admits that Nunes is the best of all time—which makes their potential matchup much more significant.

Amanda Nunes esperando el reto de Kayla Harrison en #UFC300 👂🏻👈🏻 pic.twitter.com/cIgtPPmaCd

— Gaston “Tonga” Reyno (@gastonreyno) April 14, 2024

In an interview with MMA Junkie, Harrison mentioned:

“I’ve to go whoop on Julianna, however that was all the time the struggle I needed. I by no means meant it in a disrespectful method. I by no means meant it like I’m higher than you. I simply assume that she is the best of all time… and I didn’t come to the game to be the second biggest.”

Now, Nunes has her eyes on the bantamweight crown—and she or he’s already predicted Harrison will win at UFC 316. If that occurs, followers may get one of many greatest girls’s fights in UFC historical past.