Kayla Harrison, Amanda Nunes feel weight of historic UFC 334 showdown at MSG

Resumen detallado

Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes never truly were buddies.

“One hundred percent,” Harrison agreed when The Post asked whether the label fit the nature of her relationship with Nunes, whom she will defend the women’s bantamweight title against Saturday night at Madison Square Garden at UFC 334.

The two sides of what UFC CEO Dana White has called the greatest women’s fight of all time aren’t enemies, but the work-friend thing is gone, Harrison assured.

The signal flare was lit for this epic clash of champion Harrison — the only American woman to win two Olympic gold medals in judo — and challenger Nunes — the Class of 2025 UFC Hall of Famer returning to action after three years away, having vacated two championship belts upon her initial retirement — 17 months ago at Prudential Center.

Harrison, who’d just completed her long journey to UFC gold by smashing Julianna Peña to steal her gold, welcomed her former American Top Team training partner into the Octagon for a promotional moment rooted in respect and elevating women’s MMA. It was the other end of the spectrum from the awkwardly ugly promotional approach of Josh Hokit, the heavyweight title challenger facing champ Ciryl Gane in Saturday’s main event.

Fast forward to fight week, and the chill in the New York air has made their in-person interactions feel frostier.

“In the past, our faceoffs have been a little more friendly or [included] hugs. This ain’t that. It’s fight week. It’s here,” Harrison says. “We’re not friends. It’s not personal. For me, it’s not personal. It’s just business, and I’m going to go out there, and I’m going to prove why I’m the best.”

For Nunes, the victor in one of the other handful of epic clashes of women’s legends when she ended the great Cris Cyborg’s unbeaten run at featherweight eight years ago, the feeling is mutual.

Her return to the cage, healthier after battling knee issues for years leading up to her 2023 retirement while still holding bantamweight and featherweight gold, coincides with Harrison’s rise.

“I don’t hate Kayla,” Nunes told The…

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