Neck surgery has forced Kayla Harrison out of UFC 324. | Getty/UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s debut event on Paramount+ has been a huge hit.According to a report from the Eagle GrandstandKayla Harrison has been forced to withdraw from the UFC 324 co-main event against Amanda Nunes on January 24 to undergo surgery to repair herniated discs in her neck. Harrison reportedly sought treatment in New York prior to the fight, but doctors determined surgery was necessary. Harrison vs. Nunes is expected to be rebooked at an unspecified date in the future. Sherdog.com confirmed Harrison’s departure with a source close to the situation.
The women’s bantamweight title fight was one of two main fights – along with an interim lightweight championship bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett – anchoring the UFC 324 lineup, which marks the start of the promotion’s broadcast partnership on Paramount+. UFC CEO Dana White called Harrison vs. Nunes recently called ‘the greatest women’s fight of all time’. Harrison and Nunes were former training partners at American Top Team before ‘Lioness’ left the Florida-based gym.
A tantalizing match awaits
Harrison rose to prominence in the Professional Fighters League, where she won championships at 145 and 155 pounds before signing with the UFC in 2024. The Olympic gold medalist began her Octagon tenure with victories over Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira before claiming 135-pound gold with a submission of Julianna Pena at UFC 316.A former two-division UFC champion, Nunes is widely considered the greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time. She announced her retirement after a unanimous decision victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in June 2023. The 37-year-old Brazilian has recorded notable victories over the course of her professional career over the likes of Pena, Germaine de Randamie (twice), Holm, Cristiane Justino, Valentina Shevchenko (twice), Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate.
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