Demetrious Johnson believes Kayla Harrison would be better off retiring from MMA than fighting former champion Amanda Nunes.
Harrison climbed to the top of the UFC 316 bantamweight mountain and submitted a Julianna Pena to win the uncontroversial 135 pound title. Shortly after the battle, two Olympic gold medalists welcomed Nunes into the octagon, setting the stage for the much-anticipated clash between their former teammates.
While Harrison vs. Nunes will undoubtedly be the biggest battle in the history of mixed martial arts for women, “Mighty Mouse” believes Harrison is best suited to maintain her legacy and avoiding any showdown with “Lionus.”
“If I were Kayla Harrison, I would retire from sports,” Johnson said on his YouTube channel. “Don’t fight Amanda Nunes.”
DJ says Kayla Harrison’s resume won’t be compared to previous UFC two-part titles
Johnson highlights Nunes’s residency, which is impressive compared to Harrison’s resume, and believes that the Brazilian bruiser will bring many problems to the two-time PFL champions.
“Kayla Harrison is calling for Amanda Nunez, and I think that’s a very bad idea,” Johnson said. “Yes, Kayla Harrison is a world champion, but looking at the roster of what Amanda Nunes fought and what Kayla Harrison fought, there’s no comparison. Mixed martial arts blows away all the talent pools that Kayla Harrison has done over her entire career.
“Amanda Nunes doesn’t have to get out of retirement. I think the only thing that seduces her to get out of retirement is probably how easy it is to fight. They trained together. …She has to grab Amanda Nunes. Amanda Nunes is not a very small girl. I want to jump out of her seat and see Amanda Nunes continue to retire.
Johnson points out a valid point, but given that both Nunes and Harrison are ready to bank the seven figures by fighting each other, it’s unlikely that either of them will listen to his warning.