Former two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes might officially be on the comeback trail.
Friday’s UFC 316 press conference in Miami featured UFC CEO Dana White, bantamweight championship headliners Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley, and women’s bantamweight championship co-headliners Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison. Nunes was also in attendance at the press conference and drew a big ovation from the crowd. White was asked if he believes Nunes will fight again.
“Do I think Amanda Nunes fights again? She just said yes,” White said.
Nunes then nodded her head emphatically, with a big smile on her face.
Of course, Peña had a response to the moment as she was publicly unhappy when she announced her retirement following her dominant decision win over Irena Aldana at UFC 289.
“Which means that booing her in Canada was right because I knew she was retiring too early, just like Dana said, and just like you guys are all seeing,” Peña said. “She’s not done. She’s just sitting there on the sidelines to see what happens because she didn’t want to fight that trilogy fight I was asking for.”
Peña recently regained the title with a decision win over Raquel Pennington at UFC 307 in October, while Harrison, a multi-time PFL season champion, earned her title shot on the same card with a victory over Ketlen Vieira.
Harrison was asked if she’s able to defeat Peña for the title at the June 7 pay-per-view card if Nunes would be her next opponent.
“Absolutely,” Harrison said. “I think Amanda and I both know that’s what’s going to happen.”
“Not for the belt,” Peña responded.
