Amanda Nunes says she’s ready to fight Kayla Harrison the moment the current bantamweight champion is ready.
When that may be is still shrouded in mystery. Harrison was forced to withdraw from their scheduled UFC 324 scrap due to neck surgery. The UFC hoped the fight would be ready to re-book for the UFC White House card, but that didn’t work out either. Now Nunes is stuck waiting for news that Harrison is capable of fighting again.
According to “The Lioness,” though, all this waiting is fine and she
hasn’t stopped preparing.
“I know how to train, I know how to pace myself to be able to do a camp,” Nunes told MMA Junkie in a new interview. “I know the first camp didn’t work out, but I slowed down a little bit, and I kept going to the gym. I kept doing the same thing, but with low intensity. And now I started to pick it up, so I’m just ready for the day. I feel like I’m ready for any day that Kayla give it to me. So I’m waiting on her. And when she is 100%, we’re gonna make this happen.”
“I feel like International Fight Week would be a good one,” she said of a date. “I feel like UFC wanted that too. So I hope Kayla is ready for it and I can’t wait for the call. I hope she’s ready though, because I am. And let’s see what is gonna happen.”
International Fight Week is coming up fast on July 11th, a mere two months away. If the UFC wants Harrison and Nunes to fight then, they might wanna get on it and let the women know to prepare. Normally we’d say if the fight isn’t booked for that date by now, it probably won’t be … but anything is possible these days under UFC CBO Hunter Campbell, who’s ability to keep fights secret is matched only by his willingness to book fights at the last second.
As for Nunes, she explained why she’s not interested in fighting again for anything but the undisputed bantamweight title.
“I know everybody want a chance, you know what I mean?” Nunes said. “I know everybody want to fight me, and I know everybody wants to get a paycheck. I know that … I only fight for the belt, and I cannot make what they want, you know?”
Nunes once again suggested there’d be plenty of time for women at 135 to get a crack at her once she won the belt off Harrison.
“I feel like I’m going to have an opportunity for all of them, so they just have to wait like I did,” she said. “I waited so much to fight for the belt. One day, I did it, so then I have an opportunity for everybody, and I think they should wait. I’m gonna fight Kayla and take my belt back.”
“My body feels good. My mind feels good. My spirit feels good. And I’m so happy. My daughter make me so happy and my wife, we are very happy, so I can’t wait to bring my belt back to complete everything what I’m feeling right now. Please, let’s go, UFC. Kayla Harrison, get your s–t together. Let’s go!
