Ali Abdelaziz: Amanda Nunes retired as a result of 'largest nightmare' Kayla Harrison was coming to the UFC

by Christina S. Brown
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Ali Abdelaziz thinks Amanda Nunes wished no a part of Kayla Harrison.

Former teammates Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC) and Harrison (17-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) had been on a collision course, however being a part of totally different promotions prevented them from having the ability to combat one another.

Nunes hung up her gloves as UFC dual-champion after retaining her bantamweight title towards Irene Aldana in June 2023. Seven months later, two-time PFL light-weight champion Harrison signed with the UFC, and Abdelaziz thinks Nunes’ timing to retire was not coincidental.

“Amanda Nunes did every little thing,” Abdelaziz advised Submission Radio. “She retired as a result of Kayla was coming to the UFC, No. 1. She left ATT as a result of Kayla was coaching there, proper? She turned on the individuals who actually helped her, like Dan Lambert and Conan (Silveira) and all people who helped her as a result of Kayla was getting extra consideration.

“She’d grown, and he or she knew they had been going to need to combat, proper? Amanda Nunes, her largest nightmare in right here, it was Kayla, and for this reason she retired. She has plenty of delight in her. She retired due to Kayla Harrison, and now she mentioned she needs to return again. I don’t assume she ever comes again. But when she comes again, that’ll be superb.”

Harrison submitted Holly Holm in her promotional debut at UFC 300 in April, and is raring to lure Nunes out of retirement. Abdelaziz theorizes that Nunes left American High Crew to type her personal non-public fitness center due to Harrison.

“She educated a few instances (collectively),” Abdelaziz mentioned. “And no matter occurred within the coaching room occurred, and he or she by no means needs to coach with Kayla once more. She by no means needs to spar with Kayla once more. She begins coaching by herself, away from the workforce each time Kayla involves the fitness center. She left. And ATT actually created who she is, and he or she turned on them as a result of she thought, ‘Kayla’s coming.’ And you understand what? She was coming. She was proper. Kayla was coming.

“However she was the champion. She was jewel of the fitness center. Her insecurity and unsure about beating Kayla allowed her to go away the fitness center. I don’t know, man. I don’t know. I believe Amanda, she missed consideration, and I believe sufficient stress from me and also you speaking about it, all of the media speaking about it, it’d tickle her ego a bit bit and for her to return again. But it surely doesn’t matter if she needs to return again. She will come again. She’s going to take this loss (to Harrison) and return to retirement.”

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