Kayla Harrison's manager is planning a champion's return against Amanda Nunes; find out when.

Kayla Harrison face-off with Amanda Nunes at UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFCEspanol

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One of the most anticipated clashes in the entire history of women's MMA seems to be close to happening, even though we still don't have a specific date. Ali Abdelaziz, Kayla Harrison 's manager , guaranteed in an interview with 'MMA Junkie' last Wednesday (5) that the current bantamweight champion (up to 61,2 kg) will defend the belt for the first time against Amanda Nunes later this year.

Despite guaranteeing that the judoka will return to the octagon by the end of 2026, Abdelaziz made it clear that he doesn't see the topic as an urgent matter. He reportedly even spoke with the fighter to prevent her from rushing back into competition.

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Justin Gaethje's manager predicts the champion's return and calls for an epic duel in the UFC.

“Yes, she (Kayla) will fight this year, for sure. She will fight towards the end of the year, but honestly, I was the one who said: 'You know what? I want you to take things slowly, without rushing, and take care of your health.' That's the most important thing for her. Why would she need to rush? She's the champion, everyone is after her; they're the ones who have to wait for her,” he stated.

Kayla Harrison will make her return to the UFC in the coming months! 🔥🇺🇸

After undergoing neck surgery in January, putting her bantamweight title fight against Amanda Nunes on hold, her manager, Ali Abdelaziz has now confirmed that Harrison will “for sure” fight at the end of… pic.twitter.com/RnGQgy81GU

— Scanlon MMA (@ScanlonMMA) August 6, 2026

Kayla Harrison hasn't fought in over a year.

Kayla Harrison is the UFC champion. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

Kayla became one of the most successful athletes in MMA history by finishing Juliana Peña in the second round and becoming the Ultimate champion. However, she has faced several problems in maintaining her winning streak. Even inside the octagon after defeating the Venezuelan "Megera," she faced off against Amanda Nunes . The fight was scheduled for January of this year, but the American withdrew from the bout to undergo neck surgery.

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