Top-3 Pound-For-Pound Kayla Harrison Teases White House Card Fight, But Not Against GOAT Amanda Nunes

With no more WMMA featherweight division in the UFC, the buff and tough Kayla Harrison has settled in the women’s bantamweight division. ‘Doug’ Harrison now holds the crown and has run up rumors of a fight with GOAT Amanda Nunes.

#3 on the Women’s Pound-for-pound listings, Kayla Harrison defeated Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Jr pay-per-view lineup, who swarmed around #2 in the division at the time. Emerging as the No. 1 contender, she then defeated champ Julianna Peña via second-round submission at UFC 316 in June to become the new queen with the crown.

But Amanda Nunes has had her attention on the former American Top Team mate even before that; ‘The Lioness’ even made a viral lip-smacking reaction and teased a comeback when Harrison made her emergence in the promotion in 2024. The duo even had a charged-up, resolute face-off at UFC 316. Now, the champ gives more tidbits about such a fight.

We’re going to find out real soon when that fight is going to be [Nunes fight]…Then after I whoop up on Amanda, I’m going to fight hopefully someone in particular at the White House, and I think it’s going to really play out nicely. It’s going to be sick;I can’t say yet, because it’s not all in my control. So, some things have to happen in order for this plan to happen.

Kayla Harrison to ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto (@ESPNMMA)

The specifics of a PPV title booking, such as the time and location, remain uncertain, though Harrison recently suggested a match will take place soon. She thinks she’d have time for a full camp for a Nunes fight, but considers UFC execs might book her against a ‘special someone’ for the “America 250” White House PPV card if she gets past the GOAT.

As for the opponent, there’s not many ‘special’ cases when Harrison is already champ. Women’s MMA pioneer Ronda Rousey recently laughed off such a White House UFC return option. While she’d be such a special option, ‘Rowdy’ hasn’t laced up in MMA since her 48-second knockout loss to Amanda Nunes, December 2016. Now a mom, she keeps other priorities and has an eye for a combat return, just not at the White House.

It may be a few more lengthy months, give or take, before such a UFC mega fight card shapes up. But, while that is happening, there are new tidbits about the White House event.

Security measures will limit attendance at the UFC White House Live event to ‘under 5000’

Ever since Doug pitched in as a title backup for UFC 307, and then ran up the rumor mill during the 2024 PFL Playoffs 2, a Nunes vs. Kayla Harrison super fight seems closer than ever. Big cards need big stars, and this has been a go-to fight that fans have been waiting on forever.

Amanda Nunes is widely considered the greatest Women’s MMA phenom and a former two-weight titleholder to walk the walk. While Harrison, a two-time ex-PFL women’s lightweight champ and current UFC titleholder, is (considerably) one of the most dominant juggernauts after Rousey. Defeating Nunes and meriting a White House UFC card would make sense, too; Kayla Harrison is the only remaining American staple with a belt.

Jon Jones would’ve fit such a thematic criterion for the “America 250” White House showdown, but he has had a contentious build-up for it. Irishman Conor McGregor has reentered the DFSI test pool and has also campaigned for such a fight. But the card is yet to take a formative course, and both big names like McGregor and Jones seem an unlikely option for it.

No ‘Bones’; no ‘Notorious’? Would fight fans even flock to such a costly live event with other fighters in tow? Those aren’t the only things to consider or that could plague the live gate outcome. Originally billed as a ’UFC 4th of July White House event,’ UFC CEO Dana White said recently that the fight will now take place in June. Additionally, the live gate is now a lot lower for such a mega card.

So we went to the White House last week, me and my team, and we had the first meeting with [POTUS]…We laid out all the renderings and we started to get him to sign off on what he likes and doesn’t like; …Last time I was at the White House, I went up on the roof of the White House and they got snipers with 50 cals all over the roof of the White House! [Now] I don’t know how it’s gonna work out as far as having people there live on the lawn of the White House. It’ll be under 5000 though…

Dana White on ‘The Herd with Colin Cowherd’ for HardRock Bet (@hardrockbet‬) | THE HERD

White was already planning a pipeline of comped VIP ticket packages and exclusive footfall till the Washington Monument. Now, with more logistical and security concerns, he has said that only VIPs among the VIPS, some 5000 people, would be able to attend.

A whole setup will be in place in President’s Park for those interested in watching the live fights. White has projected some 85,000+ footfall that could view the course of the fight on the screens. Would they, though?

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