Amanda Nunes confirms Kayla Harrison directly led to her leaving American Top Team: ‘I knew this fight would happen one day’

UFC 316: Pena v Harrison — Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison | Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC

Amanda Nunes spent the biggest part of her career training under the coaches at American Top Team in Florida, but ultimately decided to split with the gym and instead open her own private studio where the focus would solely be on her and her preparation.

The move paid off with Nunes bouncing back from a loss and then pummeling Julianna Peña for five rounds to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title. She continued her reign with a lopsided win over Irene Aldana in her final fight before retirement. But now that Nunes is getting ready to resume her career with a showdown against Harrison waiting in the wings, she admits the potential conflict between them directly led to her decision to leave American Top Team in the first place.

“Yes, I did [leave because of Kayla Harrison],” Nunes said during the UFC 316 post-fight show. “Because when she got there, she started training with my coach, Mike Brown, Anderson [Franca], everybody, and I knew this fight would happen one day.

“If I was there now, that would be a problem. A huge problem for [American Top Team owner] Dan [Lambert]. She would have to move. Both training at the same gym, never would have happened.”

These kinds of conflicts have happened in the past at American Top Team and the result has almost universally ended with one fighter leaving the gym. That’s what unfolded when Tyron Woodley battled Robbie Lawler and the volatility between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal resulted in the same kind of split.

Nunes says from the day Harrison started mentioning her name as a potential opponent, she felt it was inevitable they’d have to set the team aside to settle their differences. That said, Nunes also acknowledged that while they did spend several years under the same roof, she disputes the idea she was very close with Harrison much less that they were primary training partners for each other.

“Honestly, we felt it at the gym,” Nunes said. “As soon as she got the microphone, she used to talk about me. From that moment, we already started [feeling different], we always respected each other in the gym but we knew. The energy, we were never able to connect. We’re training here and there, we never was training partners in the gym. Let’s be honest. We were never training partners.

“Here and there we were training, also I was completely out of shape. Every time I’d come back to the gym, somehow we’re training and I’m like damn, I’m going to train with Kayla when I’m completely out of shape? That’s not fair. Now we’re going to see each other when I’m at full time in camp, 100 percent strong ‘The Lioness’ and she’s going to know exactly who I am inside the cage.”

Now that she’s declared her comeback and Harrison is champion after mauling Julianna Pena at UFC 316, Nunes is excited for the challenge that awaits her.

Nunes still has to get back into the UFC’s anti-doping program, which requires six months of drug testing before allowing a retired fighter to compete again, but she’s already anticipating the showdown against Harrison to happen before the end of 2025.

“Honestly, I’m going to really get in camp full time, I was training here in there but always in shape,” Nunes said. “Honestly, November/December, I might be ready to go.”

As far as the future goes, Nunes promises she’s not just coming back to face Harrison and then leave the sport again.

Instead, Nunes wants to win back her belt and then take out the next best fighters in the world at 135 pounds because she’s refreshed, renewed, and ready to reclaim everything that previously belonged to her.

“Look, my body’s good, I don’t have an injuries,” Nunes said. “My brain is amazing. My soul is ready for everything. I’m going get the belt, defend as long as possible. I’m ready to do it all over again. You guys never see that before. I’m going to be the first one. I’m going to do it all over again. I’m going to become a new champion and then defend the belt and we’re going to keep going. Honestly, I’m pumped for this.”

Amanda Nunes confirms Kayla Harrison directly led to her leaving American Top Team: ‘I knew this fight would happen one day’

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