Amanda Nunes Says Kayla Harrison Was The Reason She Left Gym

While newly crowned UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes say there is no animosity between them, Nunes says Harrison was behind her decision to part ways with her former gym, American Top Team.

“Yes, I did [leave because of Kayla Harrison],” Nunes told ESPN after UFC 316. “Because when she got there, she started training with my coach, Mike Brown, Anderson [Franca], everybody, and I knew this fight would happen one day.

“If I was there now, that would be a problem. A huge problem for [American Top Team owner] Dan [Lambert]. She would have to move. Both training at the same gym, never would have happened.”

Nunes said the feeling at ATT was that a fight between herself and Harrison was inevitable.

“As soon as she got a microphone, she used to talk about me,” said Nunes. “From that moment, we already started getting like, not different, but like we always respect each other in the gym – but we knew the energy. We never would be able to connect.

“Here and there we were training, also I was completely out of shape. Every time I’d come back to the gym, somehow we’re training and I’m like damn, I’m going to train with Kayla when I’m completely out of shape? That’s not fair. Now we’re going to see each other when I’m at full-time in camp, 100 percent strong ‘The Lioness’ and she’s going to know exactly who I am inside the cage.”

Harrison captured the UFC women’s bantamweight title on Saturday night of the co-main event of UFC 316, dominating Julianna Pena on her way to a late third-round submission win to claim that title.

After the win, Harrison invited Nunes, who was on hand at the Prudential Center in New Jersey for UFC 316, to step into the Octagon, where Harrison said, “I feel like we knew this was going to happen. I have the belt, she has the legacy. Let’s put it on the table.”

If Nunes is not the best woman to compete in MMA, she is at least in the conversation. Nunes debuted with the UFC in 2013 with a 7-3 record. She opened her career with the promotion with two first-round knockout wins. However, in her third outing under the UFC banner, Nunes fell to Cat Zingano, losing that fight by TKO in the third round.

Nunes would not lose again until December 2021.

During her 12-fight winning streak, Nunes won the bantamweight title and defended it five times, beating notable names Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, and Holly Holm by first-round stoppage. Nunes also captured the featherweight belt during that title run, defending it twice. Nunes took ownership of the 145-pound crown with a first-round knockout of Cris Cyborg, who had not tasted defeat in over 13 years.

In a flat and somewhat confusing performance, Nunes lost her 135-pound crown in December 2021, falling to Julianna Pena by second-round submission. In July 2022, Nunes regained the bantamweight belt with a decision win over Pena. She defended the crown against Aldana, who replaced the injured Pena in what was to be a trilogy bout. Nunes then retired from active competition as the bantamweight and featherweight champ.

“Double champion forever,” Nunes said after the win. “This is the perfect night to retire.”

Nunes’ split with ATT came after her loss to Pena.

Nunes, who is not in the UFC drug testing pool and has not been tested since 2023, said she would like to face Harrison before the end of the year.

UFC CEO Dana White said during the UFC 316 post-fight press conference that the promotion would discuss the matchup and the weight class for the Harrison vs. Pena fight during Tuesday’s matchmaking meeting.