UFC 316 matchmaker: Who’s next for champs Merab Dvalishvili, Kayla Harrison?
Merab Dvalishvili and Kayla Harrison had title-fight wins at UFC 316. What’s next for the champs? MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn plays matchmaker.
Dominance MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz isn’t so certain that Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes will happen.
Immediately after submitting Julianna Peña to claim the bantamweight title Saturday at UFC 316, Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) faced off with Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC) in the octagon. Nunes said she’s committed to make a full return to competition after retiring in June 2023.
Abdelaziz, who manages Harrison, believes Nunes is afraid to fight her former American Top Team training partner.
“When Amanda was in the UFC, nobody really cared to be honest with you. When she left, nobody cared,” Abdelaziz told Submission Radio. “Now, Kayla brought her back, and Kayla created a moment, like this is a big fight, the environment and how she brought her in. I have my doubts about Amanda.
“First, she was sat next to me (at UFC 316), and her energy, she wanted Kayla to lose. She was not cheering for Kayla, definitely she wanted Julianna to win. This is 100 percent, and if you want to fight someone, you want them to win to challenge them, right? She wanted Kayla to lose, and I’m just being real.”
Abdelaziz thinks Nunes will have some stipulations that could jeopardize the superfight.
“This is why I said this fight should happen at 145 because that’s what I’m predicting – she will take the fight at 135, and after that, three or two weeks out, she will say, ‘I can’t make the weight, let’s make it at 145,'” Abdelaziz said of Nunes. “Or she’s going to pull out.”
Harrison has opened up as a slight favorite over Nunes, and Abdelaziz is fully confident that she will make easy work of the former UFC double champion.
“All respect to Amanda: Nobody gives a sh*t about Amanda,” Abdelaziz said. “Let’s just be real. When she left, nobody cared. Kayla has made her relevant again because guess what? She has a legacy and accomplishments. Nobody will accomplish what Kayla accomplished in combat sports. It will be impossible to do.
“If Kayla never fought Amanda, it won’t do anything to her legacy. Kayla can retire tomorrow, and she’ll have one of the best legacies in the sport. But Kayla is such a compeititor, that she wants to bring Amanda (back), and she’s going to smash her face. She’s going to make her quit like she made Julianna quit.”
