Kayla Harrison Denies Hate for Amanda Nunes Before UFC 334
At media day in New York, the bantamweight champion answered the American Top Team founder and said Saturday is about who is the best in the world.
UFC bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison said Wednesday at UFC 334 media day in New York that there is no hate between her and Amanda Nunes. The two meet in Saturday’s co-main event at Madison Square Garden, with Harrison’s title on the line.
Harrison was responding to Dan Lambert, the founder of American Top Team, the gym where both women once trained. In an ESPN feature on the rivalry, Lambert said the two probably hate each other.
Kayla Harrison’s answer to Dan Lambert
“There is no hate at all,” Harrison told reporters, according to MMA Mania. “Zero hate. This isn’t a Colby [Covington]-[Jorge] Masvidal. This is not a bad blood grudge fight.”
She jokingly called Lambert “WWE Dan,” a jab at his ties to pro wrestling, where rivalries are often scripted. For Harrison, the fight is about something else.
“I truly believe I’m the best in the world, and I truly think she thinks she is the best in the world,” Harrison said. She added that she hopes the two can “hopefully have the best fight of all time for women.”
She also let a bit of resentment slip, without naming anyone, saying she has “zero hate for anyone” even though she feels she has been wronged before.
The Harrison and Nunes split at American Top Team
Harrison joined ATT in 2018, when Nunes was the reigning UFC champion, and the Brazilian welcomed her. They trained together from time to time, but the relationship cooled as the two-time Olympic judo gold medalist climbed the MMA ranks and became a possible opponent.
Nunes left the gym in 2022 and later said Harrison’s presence played a part in that decision. After Harrison won the title in June 2025, Nunes reportedly asked whether the matchup had been planned all along. Harrison has always denied it.
For Nunes, Saturday is a comeback after more than three years away. She retired in June 2023 as a two-division champion after beating Irene Aldana by unanimous decision at UFC 289. In October, she said she will not walk away again if she wins, as VF Comunica reported.
Julianna Peña, the grappling link between them
Their careers cross through the same opponent, and on the mat. Julianna Peña submitted Nunes with a rear-naked choke in the second round at UFC 269 in December 2021, one of the biggest upsets in women’s MMA. Nunes won the rematch by unanimous decision at UFC 277.
A little over three years later, Harrison submitted Peña with a kimura in the second round at UFC 316 in June 2025 to take the belt. Eight of Harrison’s 19 wins have come by submission, according to the UFC. The only loss on her 19-1 record came outside the UFC.
Nunes started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a teenager in Bahia before leaving Pojuca for Salvador. Of her 23 career wins, 13 came by knockout and four by submission, most recently a triangle armbar on Megan Anderson in 2021.
The UFC 334 card at Madison Square Garden
The main event is Ciryl Gane against Josh Hokit for the heavyweight title. Hokit spent the build-up needling the Frenchman, even filming himself getting pepper sprayed. The card also features Brazil’s Caio Borralho against Yousri Belgaroui, who added ground work with Glover Teixeira.
The broadcast is set for 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Do you buy that there’s no bad blood between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes, or will the American Top Team history follow them into the Octagon? Tell us in the comments.
Read more:
- Amanda Nunes won’t retire again if she beats Kayla Harrison
- Belgaroui adds ground work before Borralho, Glover says
- Josh Hokit gets pepper sprayed to mock Gane ahead of UFC 334
