Will Amanda Nunes still fight at UFC 324 with latest Kayla Harrison news?

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Will Amanda Nunes still fight at UFC 324 with latest Kayla Harrison news?

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 1:55 PM ET

Just over a week before its first event of 2026, the UFC has lost one of the biggest title fights in the promotion’s history.

Set to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, UFC 324 will officially open the UFC’s 2026 calendar and also kick off the promotion’s new partnership with Paramount, which is worth a reported $7.7 billion over the course of the next seven years.

The UFC unsurprisingly wanted to get the new deal off to a hot start by booking two title fights for UFC 324, but today news broke that UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Kayla Harrison has unfortunately been forced out of her co-main event matchup with Amanda Nunes due to injury.

Kayla Harrison Injury Puts Amanda Nunes' UFC Return In Jeopardy

Considered by many to be the greatest female fighter in the history of MMA, former two-division titleholder Nunes announced her retirement in 2023 after she defended the women’s bantamweight belt against Irene Aldana at UFC 289.

“The Lioness” famously faced off with Harrison at UFC 316 after the latter fighter claimed the 135 lbs. title from Nunes’ former rival Julianna Peña, which got combat sports fans hyped for what is arguably the biggest women’s fight in MMA history.

The promise of a superfight with Harrison looked to be the primary motivating factor for Nunes’ return to fighting, and as of now it’s unclear if the UFC will consider setting up an interim title bout or try to put together a non-title fight to convince the Brazilian to still return at UFC 324.

Who Could Amanda Nunes Fight At UFC 324?

It feels unlikely that Nunes would step into the Octagon without some sort of a belt on the line, but at this late stage there appear to be two primary options if the former two-division champion does still want to compete in Las Vegas next Saturday.

The 37-year-old year old bested most of the UFC’s top female fighters during her stellar Hall of Fame career, but since Nunes’ retirement her countrywoman Norma Dumont has established herself as a potential women’s bantamweight title challenger.

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Dumont currently sits at #3 in the divisional rankings and has won six-straight fights dating back to late 2022, scoring victories over former title challenger Aldana and former UFC women’s featherweight queen Germaine de Randamie during that run.

Another potential option could be a trilogy bout with Peña, who unseated Nunes in a massive upset at UFC 269 but fell short in their rematch at UFC 277. The pair were booked to meet a third time at UFC 289 before Peña withdrew from the matchup, leaving Nunes to defeat Aldana and announce her retirement immediately after the win.

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It would be a big ask for either Dumont or Peña to make championship weight on just over a weeks’ notice to compete at UFC 324, and for now it remains to be see what the UFC plans to do with Nunes following Harrison’s withdrawal from the event.

This article first appeared on MMA on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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