Kayla Harrison Defies Demetrious Johnson’s Warning, Remains Firm on Amanda Nunes Fight

“I have the belt, she has the legacy. Let’s put it on the table.” That’s how Kayla Harrison summed it up after UFC 316. With the women’s bantamweight title freshly wrapped around her waist and the MMA world watching, Harrison stood center stage and called for the biggest challenge of her career, Amanda Nunes. And make no mistake, she earned that moment.

Harrison dominated Julianna Peña in the UFC 316 co-main event, scoring a slick second-round submission with just five seconds left. But the real statement came after the fight, when Amanda Nunes walked into the Octagon. No trash talk. No chaos. Just a calm faceoff between two world-class athletes and one unmissable fight in the making. That is, unless Demetrious Johnson has his way.

The former flyweight king and a mainstay in ‘GOAT’ conversations for MMA chimed in on his YouTube channel, stating, “If I was Kayla Harrison, I would retire from the sport. Don’t fight Amanda Nunes. Kayla Harrison is calling out Amanda Nunes. I think that’s a very, very bad idea.”

Johnson warned that the former dual champ was simply a different beast. He pointed to Nunes’ elite resume that has wins over Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, Miesha Tate, and Germaine de Randamie as evidence that Harrison isn’t ready.

But Kayla Harrison isn’t backing down. When Johnson’s comments were shared on X by ‘MMA Uncensored’, the newly crowned queen of the bantamweight division replied with, “Big fan of Mighty. Bigger believer in myself.”

Big fan of Mighty. Bigger believer in myself. https://t.co/AwXuy47qyD

— Kayla Harrison Official (@KaylaH) June 11, 2025

That mindset tracks with everything we’ve seen from Harrison since she joined the UFC. She made a splashy debut at UFC 300 by submitting Holly Holm. Then she outworked Ketlen Vieira to earn her title shot.

And despite a brutal weight cut that left her visibly drained at the UFC 316 weigh-ins, she stayed mentally locked in and became the first female fighter to win an Olympic gold medal and a UFC championship. So, despite ‘Mighty Mouse’s hesitation, Kayla Harrison is determined to live up to her own legacy and rewrite a new one alongside the greatest to ever do it!

Despite warnings, Kayla Harrison is ready to throw down with the “best” version of Amanda Nunes

After submitting Julianna Peña at UFC 316, Harrison didn’t just win a belt, she lit the fuse on a super fight the sport’s been waiting for. And when Amanda Nunes stepped into the Octagon moments later, the spark turned into a firestorm. Nunes, a double champ and widely regarded as the greatest female fighter of all time, retired in 2023 to focus on motherhood. But she’s reportedly back to training twice a day.

And Harrison? She’s ready with a Nate Diaz-esque attitude that wants the fight any time, any place, and more importantly, any weight! Speaking at the UFC 316 post-fight press conference, Harrison stated, “I’m open to fight to (145 or 135). I just want to fight. I just want to fight. I definitely want to fight Amanda. She’s the greatest of all time. I want to be the greatest of all time. ”

Despite being former training partners at American Top Team, both women knew this collision was inevitable. Nunes even left the gym in 2022, sensing the day would come. Now, with the moment at hand, Harrison wants the best version of “The Lioness” possible as she shared, “I’m going to give Amanda as much time as she needs to prepare. I want her to be her best her. I’m going to be the best me.”

She even joked she’d face Nunes “on Mars” if that’s what it took! Ultimately, she may have heard Demetrious Johnson’s warning loud and clear: retire before facing Amanda Nunes. But instead of backing off, she’s doubling down.

To her, this isn’t a mismatch. It’s the moment she’s been preparing for her entire career. Now the question becomes, will she be able to de-throne Nunes as the greatest female fighter of all time? Or will ‘Mighty Mouse’s warning come back to haunt her? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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