Amanda Nunes stays classy amid Kayla Harrison’s recovery: ‘How could I wish her bad?’

Amanda Nunes is wishing Kayla Harrison well in her recovery from neck surgery.

Nunes was expected to end her retirement at UFC 324 on Jan. 24. The UFC Hall of Famer was set to challenge Harrison for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship. That plan didn’t materialize, as Harrison went under the knife for a neck issue that had been lingering for years.

Nunes and Harrison are former training partners and while “The Lioness” has long split from American Top Team, the mutual respect is intact. During an interview with UFC Brasil, Nunes said she’s hoping Harrison can make a full and speedy recovery (h/t MMAFighting).

“I think she has six months to recover and give some feedback to the UFC,” Nunes told UFC Brasil. “I saw that she’s already back at the gym and that makes me really happy. I wish her all the best in her recovery and everything because of course I need her. How could I wish her bad? I want her to recover as fast as possible, and I’ll be right here. Everything depends on her now for us to make this fight happen, maybe at the White House. I think that would be perfect. And I’ll be ready.”

Nunes has been out of MMA competition since she initially retired back in 2023. During Nunes’ time away, many felt that “The Lioness” was waiting for a big fight before ultimately returning to the Octagon. That’s exactly what’s happening, as Nunes waits for Harrison to return to full health.

BJPenn.com will keep you up to date with the latest news on Harrison’s recovery from neck surgery. We’ll keep you posted in the coming months and we’ll give you a fight update once the 135-pound champion is ready to return.

Feel free to discuss Amanda Nunes vs. Kayla Harrison in the comment section below.