Amanda Nunes, widely regarded as the greatest female fighter in UFC history, is poised to make her highly anticipated return to the octagon after a two-year hiatus. Her potential comeback bout against Kayla Harrison, which gained traction following Harrison`s victory at UFC 316, is already being discussed as potentially the most significant women`s fight in the promotion`s history.
Nunes announced her retirement in 2023 after successfully defending her UFC Women’s Bantamweight title against Irene Aldana. She subsequently vacated the championship belt and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. With confirmation of her return, a prominent figure within the UFC believes this upcoming matchup with Harrison could eclipse even Nunes` past landmark victories in terms of magnitude.
Daniel Cormier Weighs In on Nunes vs. Harrison
Daniel Cormier, a former two-division UFC champion and current analyst, expressed his view that Nunes` potential comeback fight against Harrison represents the biggest women`s fight the UFC has ever scheduled. Speaking on the “Good Guy/Bad Guy” show, Cormier suggested this fight could surpass the historical impact of Nunes` clash with Ronda Rousey in 2016.
Cormier reflected on past major women`s bouts involving Nunes: “The last time Amanda Nunes was put in this position, she had what was one of the biggest fights and wins in UFC women’s history. She beat Chris Cyborg. At the time, we thought there could never be a bigger fight made in mixed martial arts. And then Ronda Rousey came and tried to fight Amanda Nunes, and we thought this may be the biggest fight in women’s mixed martial arts history. But this one? Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes — it feels truly like it is the biggest fight that we can make in women’s MMA history.”
While this matchup is undoubtedly colossal, surpassing the cultural phenomenon and the specific records set by the Nunes vs. Rousey fight from nearly a decade ago presents a formidable challenge.
Recalling Amanda Nunes` Definitive Win Over Ronda Rousey in 2016
At UFC 207, Amanda Nunes delivered a brutal and swift knockout victory over Ronda Rousey, a win that effectively marked the end of Rousey`s career in the UFC and solidified Nunes` reign as the Women`s Bantamweight champion. Rousey was attempting to bounce back from her shocking upset loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 when she stepped in to face the fighter who was quickly establishing herself as the greatest of all time.
The fight proved to be completely one-sided. Nunes dominated Rousey from the opening bell, landing a flurry of punches that led to the knockout in just 48 seconds, leaving Rousey visibly stunned while still standing. This highly anticipated bout was a massive event, setting a UFC attendance record in Nevada at the time with 18,533 fans. Furthermore, Rousey`s reported earnings for the fight were said to be on par with Conor McGregor`s record purse from UFC 215, highlighting the fight`s significant commercial success.
Breaking records of that magnitude might be difficult for the upcoming Nunes vs. Harrison fight, yet Daniel Cormier`s assessment underscores the immense potential and significance he sees in this potential clash as one of the UFC`s biggest women`s bouts ever.
