Kayla Harrison’s long-awaited showdown with Amanda Nunes is off. The UFC confirmed Wednesday that Harrison has withdrawn from her scheduled bout with the former two-division champion at UFC 324 after suffering a neck injury, derailing one of the most anticipated women’s fights on the calendar and leaving the promotion with a a big hole on the main card with just 10 days away from fight night.
The Eagle Tribune was the first to report the news.
Harrison (19-1) is the reigning UFC bantamweight champion and had been calling for a matchup with Nunes for months, eager to face the widely regarded greatest female fighter of all time. UFC CEO Dana White labeled the bout “the greatest women’s fight of all time” as the promotion prepared to debut on Paramount+.
Nunes (23-5) was scheduled to compete for the first time since her successful title defense against Irene Aldana at UFC 289. The former two-division champion announced her retirement in the octagon immediately following the fight.
The bout is expected to be postponed, though no new date has been announced yet.
According to the report, Harrison underwent surgery after traveling to New York to seek treatment for the neck injury before heading to Las Vegas for the event. She ultimately opted for the procedure, though no timetable for her recovery has been announced.
