Earlier this year, fans were deprived of a blockbuster showdown between Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison for the women’s bantamweight title at UFC 324. The highly anticipated co-main event fell apart after Harrison was forced to withdraw due to neck surgery. Dana White later confirmed that the promotion intends to rebook the fight in 2026.
Nunes addressed the situation in a statement, expressing disappointment over the cancellation while acknowledging that the circumstances were beyond her control. Following the announcement that Harrison would no longer compete on January 24, fellow bantamweight contender Norma Dumont stepped forward, offering to face Nunes for interim gold.
While Nunes made it clear she was open to fighting another opponent, she emphasized that her focus remains solely on the undisputed title. In her statement, she said, “Everyone’s talking about an interim belt, someone to fight and all that, but guys, that doesn’t exist for me. I only fight for the real belt. If the UFC takes the belt now [from Harrison] and puts someone else to fight for it, I’ll fight, but an interim belt doesn’t exist.”
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Now scheduled to face Joselyne Edwards in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 116, Dumont didn’t hide her frustration over Nunes declining the short-notice opportunity. Originally slated to fight Yana Santos at the Meta Apex card, Dumont ultimately found herself matched with a different opponent, though she expected Nunes to show the same willingness she did.
Speaking in a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Dumont said, “It was a bit frustrating for me. First because I accepted the fight on 10 days’ notice and she didn’t want it, saying she wanted the undisputed belt.”
Dumont went a step further, suggesting that Nunes may be fearful of taking risks outside of her desired matchup with Harrison, especially if her return is short-lived. She added, “It’s frustrating because if she came back just for Kayla, then I imagine she’ll retire after that fight. I feel like there might be some fear of losing. For example, I hear a lot of people telling me, ‘You’re going to fight the No. 11, it’s a very risky fight.’ Man, only people who don’t trust their hands are afraid of risk.”
Dumont didn’t hold back in sharing her perspective on Nunes’ decision. She said, “I know my work, I know my level, I know what I’m going to do. The feeling I get is, ‘I don’t want to fight Norma because it’s a tough fight. If I lose, I lose the big fight with Kayla.’ I get it, it’s business. But to me, it feels like there’s some fear of losing to me. That’s how I see it.”
The top 135-pounder also questioned how long Nunes is willing to wait for her anticipated showdown with Harrison. Having already spent a year in training camp, she pointed out that time continues to pass without any official confirmation of the fight.
The #3-ranked contender added, “How long are you going to wait for Kayla? We don’t know,” she continued. “It’s already mid-year, and Kayla still doesn’t have a fight scheduled. There are possibilities for July or August, but [Nunes] could’ve fought in April. I think that would’ve even been good for her because she’d have come back after three years out, gotten a fight in, and then fought Kayla at the end of the year. I think that would’ve been great, but I don’t see it.”
Since the cancellation of their bout at UFC 324, Nunes has remained active behind the scenes, regularly sharing training clips and even making the trip to Las Vegas for the January 24 event at T-Mobile Arena. The message is clear: she is committed to completing her comeback, but strictly on her own terms.
However, the Brazilian hasn’t competed since June 2023, when she secured a decision victory over Irene Aldana before announcing her retirement as a two-division UFC champion. Speculation about a return never fully faded, and she ultimately set her sights on that dream bout with Harrison.
Meanwhile, Dumont enters this weekend riding strong momentum. The Brazilian has won six consecutive fights, climbing to No. 3 in the women’s bantamweight rankings, trailing only former champions Raquel Pennington and Julianna Peña in the division’s top tier. She is set to compete at UFC Vegas 116, where she will defend her position against No. 11-ranked Joselyne Edwards. With momentum on her side and frustration fueling her narrative, the question remains whether Dumont can force her way into a title opportunity before the year is out.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.