The two fighters who emerged from UFC 316 as champions are already looking ahead to their next opponents. Saturday`s pay-per-view event centered on the bantamweight divisions, with both male and female titles on the line.
In the co-main event, the women`s belt changed hands when Kayla Harrison secured a submission victory via kimura over Julianna Pena. Meanwhile, in the main event, Merab Dvalishvili successfully defended his title for the second time by choking out Sean O`Malley.
Potential future challengers were present cage-side for both championship bouts, and color commentator Daniel Cormier expressed significant pleasure at seeing one highly anticipated matchup seemingly confirmed.
Daniel Cormier`s Reaction to Harrison vs. Nunes Potential Bout
Following her win at UFC 316, Kayla Harrison invited Amanda Nunes into the Octagon during her post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
`The Lioness` retired from the UFC in 2023 after relinquishing both her titles but announced plans for a widely expected return earlier this year. With the outcome of Saturday`s co-main event poised to determine her next foe, Nunes was close by to witness her former training partner, Harrison, being crowned champion.
The women`s bantamweight division has often been regarded as the least competitive among the UFC`s female weight classes. Cormier voiced relief that a truly significant fight was finally taking shape in Newark.
“It has it all,” Cormier stated while discussing the potential Harrison vs. Nunes clash on ESPN`s SportsCenter. “When Kayla Harrison first started as an Olympian champion, she went to South Florida and joined American Top Team.”
“Amanda Nunes was like, `Wait a minute, an Olympic champ moving in to train? I’m out!` She knew that at some point she would have to deal with this young lady (Harrison). It’s got the back story, it’s got the two most dominant fighters, it has got everything!”
“We finally get a fight in the women’s bantamweight division that really does matter. We went around in a circle to get here, but we’re finally here with the biggest fight that we can make at 135 pounds.”
“I cannot wait for this one,” Cormier concluded.
Former Teammate Predicts Harrison Win Over Nunes
Discussions about a fight between Harrison and Nunes have circulated ever since Nunes departed American Top Team, reportedly due to the presence of the two-time Olympic gold medalist.
For others who shared the training room, the potential fight always felt inevitable.
This perspective was shared by Jorge Masvidal, who analyzed the possible matchup during an appearance on The MMA Hour in April 2024.
Having trained alongside both Harrison and Nunes and observed them on the mats, `Gamebred` slightly favored his fellow American, Harrison, who was just one fight into her UFC tenure at the time of his comments.
“I was there for one of them (training sessions), not the one that I wanted to be. The first time that they trained, I didn’t get to see that one. I heard all about it… I was there for other ones and I can tell you it’s a pay-per-view. It’s a pay-per-view because it’s just they’re both felines who are not going to give an inch to no other chick.”
“I’ll put my money on Kayla right now,” Masvidal added. “Don’t kick my ass Amanda, she’s gonna beat me up now. But yeah, I’m gonna put my money on Kayla.”
With Nunes remaining inactive since her retirement and Harrison asserting her dominance to claim the title at UFC 316, it appears improbable that Masvidal would alter his prediction at this point.
