‘GOAT’ Demetrious Johnson Suggesting Retirement for Kayla Harrison Ahead of Amanda Nunes Superfight Gets Classy Reply

After UFC 316 PPV, Kayla Harrison told to retire at top by Demetrious Johnson rather than take on the Amanda Nunes legacy challenge.

‘GOAT’ Demetrious Johnson Suggesting Retirement for Kayla Harrison Ahead of Amanda Nunes Superfight Gets Classy Reply

Demetrious Johnson wants Kayla Harrison to retire after UFC 316 PPV title win (Source: X)

UFC 316 PPV went and came, and multiple fighters got a bump up or a bruise down in the ordeal. New women’s 135-pound champion Kayla Harrison was perhaps the biggest success story to come out of the card. Her win and post-fight faceoff with Amanda Nunes has set off what seems to be the biggest women’s saga in modern times. However, Demetrious Johnson has presented some change of course for “Doug” Harrison.

Other than being a 6th dan black belt Judoka with IJF Grand Slam/Grand Prix and World Championships/USA Judo National Team FORCE alum, Kayla Harrison snagged gold at the 2010 World Championships, 2012, and 2016 Olympics. Hence, much like Henry ‘Triple C’ Cejudo, she is now an Olympian UFC beltholder. Safe to say, she has done almost all.

Ex-UFC Flyweight legend Demetrious Johnson did a watch through of UFC 316 as he usually does. After the faceoff with Nunes, “Mighty Mouse” had a peculiar take and prescribed that Harrison retire after such achievements rather than risk it further.

If I was Kayla Harrison, I would retire from the sport, …Don’t fight Amanda Nunes… The talent pool Amanda Nunes has fought, blows everything Kayla Harrison had done in her entire career…Amanda Nunes doesn’t need to come out of retirement. I think the only thing enticing her to come out of retirement is probably how easy the fight might be.

Demetrious Johnson via his “MIGHTY” Podcast (@Mighty15x) 

Not the first fighter he has recently prescribed the same course; this time, though, it made little sense coming from Demetrious Johnson. Former Team ATT Teammates Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes share substantial history. This opens up a rare way to end her spell away from combat sports, where she hung it up after scrapping with Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in June 2023.

The prospect of “Lioness” returning and such a fight is already being touted as the biggest blockbuster WMMA PPV title bout. Hence, Harrison stuck to what she knows, and what she knows is that she can do it.

Big fan of Mighty. Bigger believer in myself.

Kayla Harrison via X (@KaylaH)

Unlike ‘DJ’, old rival Julianna Pena called dibs on such a Harrison vs. Nunes scrapper after her Newark PPV loss. It became clear quickly that not all viewed this fight the same. Although she has momentum as a recent champ out on a loss for a rematch, she is 3-3 in her past few.

Moreover, the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) released a clinical suspension list, barring her indefinitely until cleared for her left elbow/shoulder injuries. So, that rematch is out of the block, and a Nunes return is more than likely to be the next.

Both fighters have attended media interviews and are hyping up the scrap since then. Harrison even detailed some behind-the-scenes sparring tidbits with Lioness.

Kayla Harrison opens up about her sparring session with Amanda Nunes ahead of upcoming rivalry PPV fight

Nunes has been more than vocal about her historic sparring sessions with Kayla Harrison at Team ATT’s stomping grounds. Her retirement in 2023 was due to nerve damage in her legs and family strings, but it’s no secret that the duo has history. The Women’s all-time fighting GOAT said she felt cornered by Harrison and Yana Kunitskaya’s arrival in their midst.

Kayla Harrison opens up about the historic Amanda Nunes sparring sessions
Kayla Harrison opens up about the historic Amanda Nunes sparring sessions (Source: X)

Before going through Ketlen Viera, Kayla Harrison made her spectacular debut at last year’s milestone UFC 300 PPV card. Nunes punctuated quite a reaction to it, and UFC boss Dana White even isn’t opposed to such a blockbuster implication of such a WMMA super fight tease. So, it was a given that while not a grudge setting, she was finally ready to give a face to their rivalry and see who ends on top.

Now, with the Olympian snagging the UFC gold, it’s more than just a unique opportunity for such a fight. In interviews with SBNation and John Morgan, the decorated American already said she has no ‘beef’ but would like such a fight. After UFC 316, Harrison has doubled down on it.

Amanda Nunes told UFC 316 PPV post-fight ESPN panelists that she wasn’t at ‘a 100%’ during their sparring and hyped up that it won’t be the same now. However, Harrison cued in some rare admission this week:

Yeah I was [thinking of fighting her; always]…I came down to visit and I sparred with her actually, on day two… Yeah, I think pretty much right after that I thought ‘This is it, this is where I’m gonna go.’…It went good, she kicked my a** but one of us stopped after two rounds, so.

Kayla Harrison said on The Ariel Helwani Show

The new champ, of course, reserves judgment and hints at different results this time around. Harrison has somewhat acclimated to her cut down to a 135-pound hydration and has done it a few times now. However, such a fight would naturally push back to the early quarter of 2026. There are also rumors suggesting that the bout could take place for the vacant 145-pound title as well.

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