Latest news with #AmericanTopTeam
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ali Abdelaziz casts doubt on Amanda Nunes returning to fight Kayla Harrison for UFC title
Ali Abdelaziz casts doubt on Amanda Nunes returning to fight Kayla Harrison for UFC title Show Caption Hide Caption UFC 316 matchmaker: Who's next for champs Merab Dvalishvili, Kayla Harrison? Merab Dvalishvili and Kayla Harrison had title-fight wins at UFC 316. What's next for the champs? MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn plays matchmaker. Dominance MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz isn't so certain that Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes will happen. Immediately after submitting Julianna Peña to claim the bantamweight title Saturday at UFC 316, Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) faced off with Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC) in the octagon. Nunes said she's committed to make a full return to competition after retiring in June 2023. Abdelaziz, who manages Harrison, believes Nunes is afraid to fight her former American Top Team training partner. "When Amanda was in the UFC, nobody really cared to be honest with you. When she left, nobody cared," Abdelaziz told Submission Radio. "Now, Kayla brought her back, and Kayla created a moment, like this is a big fight, the environment and how she brought her in. I have my doubts about Amanda. "First, she was sat next to me (at UFC 316), and her energy, she wanted Kayla to lose. She was not cheering for Kayla, definitely she wanted Julianna to win. This is 100 percent, and if you want to fight someone, you want them to win to challenge them, right? She wanted Kayla to lose, and I'm just being real." Abdelaziz thinks Nunes will have some stipulations that could jeopardize the superfight. "This is why I said this fight should happen at 145 because that's what I'm predicting – she will take the fight at 135, and after that, three or two weeks out, she will say, 'I can't make the weight, let's make it at 145,'" Abdelaziz said of Nunes. "Or she's going to pull out." Harrison has opened up as a slight favorite over Nunes, and Abdelaziz is fully confident that she will make easy work of the former UFC double champion. "All respect to Amanda: Nobody gives a sh*t about Amanda," Abdelaziz said. "Let's just be real. When she left, nobody cared. Kayla has made her relevant again because guess what? She has a legacy and accomplishments. Nobody will accomplish what Kayla accomplished in combat sports. It will be impossible to do. "If Kayla never fought Amanda, it won't do anything to her legacy. Kayla can retire tomorrow, and she'll have one of the best legacies in the sport. But Kayla is such a compeititor, that she wants to bring Amanda (back), and she's going to smash her face. She's going to make her quit like she made Julianna quit."
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Video: Kayla Harrison receives hero's welcome from American Top Team after UFC 316
Video: Kayla Harrison receives hero's welcome from American Top Team after UFC 316 Show Caption Hide Caption UFC 316: Kayla Harrison post-fight interview UFC 316 winner Kayla Harrison spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters post-fight after her women's bantamweight title victory over Julianna Peña. Perhaps no group of people is happier for Kayla Harrison's UFC championship victory than the members of American Top Team. Harrison easily dispatched Julianna Peña this past Saturday at UFC 316 from Prudential Center in Newark N.J., where she dominated before winning by second-round submission to claim the 135-pound title. The victory immediately moved Harrison to tears – understandable considering she talked about UFC champ status being her primary goal even while she still competed for the PFL. Upon her return to the gym Monday, Harrison was met with a rousing round of applause from a large contingent of ATT teammates, who seemed genuinely happy that her long journey to UFC gold was finally complete. Check out the video below (via Instagram): Up next for Harrison is a date with Amanda Nunes, who is poised to come out of retirement for a highly anticipated superfight between former ATT teammates and training partners. The two women were cordial with each other inside the octagon after Harrison's victory and engaged in a first faceoff that ended with a smile and hug.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Amanda Nunes Says Kayla Harrison Was The Reason She Left Gym
While newly crowned UFC women's bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes say there is no animosity between them, Nunes says Harrison was behind her decision to part ways with her former gym, American Top Team. "Yes, I did [leave because of Kayla Harrison]," Nunes told ESPN after UFC 316. "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] Nunes said the feeling at ATT was that a fight between herself and Harrison was inevitable. "As soon as she got a microphone, she used to talk about me," said Nunes. "From that moment, we already started getting like, not different, but like we always respect each other in the gym – but we knew the energy. We never would be able to connect. "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." Harrison captured the UFC women's bantamweight title on Saturday night of the co-main event of UFC 316, dominating Julianna Pena on her way to a late third-round submission win to claim that title. After the win, Harrison invited Nunes, who was on hand at the Prudential Center in New Jersey for UFC 316, to step into the Octagon, where Harrison said, "I feel like we knew this was going to happen. I have the belt, she has the legacy. Let's put it on the table." If Nunes is not the best woman to compete in MMA, she is at least in the conversation. Nunes debuted with the UFC in 2013 with a 7-3 record. She opened her career with the promotion with two first-round knockout wins. However, in her third outing under the UFC banner, Nunes fell to Cat Zingano, losing that fight by TKO in the third round. Nunes would not lose again until December 2021. During her 12-fight winning streak, Nunes won the bantamweight title and defended it five times, beating notable names Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, and Holly Holm by first-round stoppage. Nunes also captured the featherweight belt during that title run, defending it twice. Nunes took ownership of the 145-pound crown with a first-round knockout of Cris Cyborg, who had not tasted defeat in over 13 years. In a flat and somewhat confusing performance, Nunes lost her 135-pound crown in December 2021, falling to Julianna Pena by second-round submission. In July 2022, Nunes regained the bantamweight belt with a decision win over Pena. She defended the crown against Aldana, who replaced the injured Pena in what was to be a trilogy bout. Nunes then retired from active competition as the bantamweight and featherweight champ. "Double champion forever," Nunes said after the win. "This is the perfect night to retire." Nunes' split with ATT came after her loss to Pena. Nunes, who is not in the UFC drug testing pool and has not been tested since 2023, said she would like to face Harrison before the end of the year. UFC CEO Dana White said during the UFC 316 post-fight press conference that the promotion would discuss the matchup and the weight class for the Harrison vs. Pena fight during Tuesday's matchmaking meeting.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Amanda Nunes wants UFC return in 2025, admits new champ Kayla Harrison 'can bring me fear'
Amanda Nunes wants UFC return in 2025, admits new champ Kayla Harrison 'can bring me fear' Show Caption Hide Caption UFC 316: Kayla Harrison post-fight interview UFC 316 winner Kayla Harrison spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters post-fight after her women's bantamweight title victory over Julianna Peña. Amanda Nunes is mentally and physically sound to make her return to the UFC, and now she has the perfect dance partner to bring out her best. After revealing in April that she intended to come out of retirement to challenge the UFC 316 title fight winner, Nunes' dance partner was solidified Saturday when Kayla Harrison captured the women's bantamweight title from Julianna Peña at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Nunes (11-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) was cageside watching the contest, then entered the octagon to face off with Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) after she submitted Peña in the second round. It was a respectful but tense moment between the former American Top Team teammates, and now the build to a significant contest for women's MMA is on. "Honestly, if I stayed at American Top Team this fight might not ever happen," Nunes told ESPN post-fight at UFC 316. "I left. It was my decision. Now I have my own gym, my own camp with my own coaches that I set up everything with. I'm going to get in camp full time. I've been training here and there, always in shape. But honestly like November-December, I'm going to be ready to go." Nunes said she made her decision to come back to fighting when her young children began to sleep through the full night. She reiterated previous comments that this is no a one-off, and she intends to run through the weight class again. UFC CEO Dana White said Nunes must first re-enter the promotion's drug testing pool before a date can be scheduled. With Nunes' timeline to fight this year, however, that would mean re-entry would have to happen almost immediately. Nunes, 37, appears ready to make that happen, however, and said this matchup with Harrison, 34, is one that's going to bring out her best in every way. 'As soon as she got a microphone, she used to talk about me. From that moment, we already started getting like, not different, but like we always respect each other in the gym – but we knew the energy. We never would be able to connect. "I like when the opponents can bring me fear, bring me adrenaline. Kayla is one of those kinds of fighters. This is how I show up, when you threaten me with something. I know Kayla is that kind of fighter. This is what I like to feel. I like to be in danger. This is how 'The Lioness' comes out."
New York Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Amanda Nunes details UFC return plans, predicts Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison
When the double-whammy news of both Amanda Nunes' impending induction into the UFC Hall of Fame and her confirmation that she would return to competition the same night in April — during the broadcast of UFC 314 — much remained unclear. The winner of this Saturday's UFC 316 women's bantamweight championship fight between Julianna Peña and challenger Kayla Harrison in Newark, N.J., was identified as the preferred opponent for Nunes, but whether she was purely interested in former American Top Team training partner Harrison open to speculation. Advertisement When might that happen? Was this meant to be a one-off fight?
