Daniel Cormier weighs Amanda Nunes’ choices with Kayla Harrison harm

[ad_1] With UFC 324 dropping its co-main occasion as a consequence of a Kayla Harrison harm, Daniel Cormier is open to the thought of getting Amanda Nunes take one other combat.

The UFC girls's bantamweight champ was pressured out of her matchup in opposition to Nunes within the first numbered occasion of the 12 months as a consequence of a neck harm. Based on preliminary reviews, the harm is anticipated to maintain Harrison out for no less than six months.

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Harrison received the title by stopping Julianna Peña at UFC 316 in June. A six-month delay, on the quick finish of the anticipated restoration time, would put her a 12 months from her final combat. The previous two-division champ Nunes hasn't competed since June 2023, and was simply days away from a return from retirement, straight into probably the greatest attainable matchups in girls's MMA immediately.

With the uncertainty of Harrison's return date, ought to the promotion create an interim title combat involving Nunes? Cormier is not so positive.

"That is unhealthy, proper? Neck is unhealthy," Cormier mentioned on "The Ariel Helwani Present." "... Is Kayla gone for six months? As a result of if Kayla's gone for under six months, you possibly can't say that is an interim title combat. As a result of Amanda Nunes-Kayla Harrison is an enormous combat. Kayla is vocal, too, proper? ... How would she really feel about an interim title combat?

"The one factor that you do not essentially want with Amanda Nunes is her holding a belt. You may simply put one on her. After which the visible is 2 champions combating. If she fights and if she will get an interim title combat, now you set a belt on her, however Kayla Harrison simply fought just lately. Like, does an interim title make sense? Sure, you wish to combat Amanda Nunes. Downside is, and Chael (Sonnen) at all times made this level, you do not get higher by not doing one thing."

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For Cormier, maintaining collectively the matchup between Harrison and Nunes is an important piece of the puzzle. Though Nunes dominated the division earlier than retiring, Cormier wonders if that would be the case three years later, particularly when the large return was centered round such an enormous combat. Nevertheless, if Harrison goes to be sidelined for longer than half the 12 months, Cormier can get on board with an interim title combat within the meantime.

"If it will be longer than six months, you combat her with the hope that she nonetheless wins, and now you have obtained two champions, each of them holding belts," Cormier mentioned. "... I really feel like (Nunes) will get an possibility, however I do not know if it is finally going to be her determination. As a result of, dude, you possibly can't make an even bigger feminine combat than Amanda Nunes-Kayla Harrison, and Amanda seemed in phenomenal form final time I noticed her on some footage. She appears nice. You'll guess that she would nonetheless be capable of handle nearly everybody in combating.

"... So, it is comparatively protected, I might think about, however man, you can't lose Kayla Harrison-Amanda Nunes due to all of the questions we do not know. We all know that Kayla Harrison can beat everybody, however can she beat Amanda Nunes? If Amanda goes out and fights and wins and does not look nice, then it sort of turns into extra like, 'Effectively, that is another person that Kayla Harrison goes to get.'"