Kayla Harrison Vs. Amanda Nunes Opening Odds

Kayla Harrison won the UFC women’s bantamweight championship on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 316. Not long after UFC CEO Dana White wrapped that belt around her waist, Harrison faced off with her likely potential opponent for her first title defense, former and no longer retired two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes.

The opening betting odds for that potential fight have been released.

Kayla Harrison Vs. Amanda Nunes Opening Betting Odds And Line Movement

When BetOnline first published the opening odds for a Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes matchup, the opening line had Harrison as a -150 betting favorite over the +130 Nunes. Today, Harrison is listed at -162, while Nunes is the +142 betting underdog.

Kayla Harrison And Amanda Nunes At UFC 316

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.”

Kayla Harrison Vs. Amanda Nunes

A two-time Olympic gold medal winner in judo (2012 and 2016), Kayla Harrison made her MMA debut in the 155-pound division with PFL in 2018. Harrison ran over her first six opponents, picking up three submissions, two knockouts, and a decision before winning the women’s lightweight title by defeating Larissa Pacheco by decision.

In November 2020, Harrison defeated Courtney King by TKO in a 145-pound scrap. Shen then moved back to 155 pounds. In 2021, Harrison won the PFL 155-pound tournament with a submission win over Taylor Guardado.

By 2022, Harrison had amassed a 15-0 record. However, her unbeaten ended in the finals of the 2022 PFL lightweight tourney when Pacheco scored a unanimous decision win over Harrison. The ex-champ fought once more for the PFL, beating former UFC fighter Aspen Ladd via decision in November 2023 in a 150-pound catchweight fight.

In January 2024, the UFC announced it had signed Harrison and that her promotional debut would take place in the 135-pound weight class. Harrison impressed in that performance, submitting former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm by submission in the second round at UFC 400.

In her next outing, Harrison defeated Ketlen Vieira via unanimous decision.

Harrison rolled over Pena at UFC 316, picking up a fairly easy submission win over the overmatched Pena to capture the UFC women’s bantamweight title.

If Amanda 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.”

The former two-division champ expressed her desire to come out of retirement in April.

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.

We will have more on the potential Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes matchup as news becomes available.