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Kayla Harrison’s proposed blockbuster clash against Amanda Nunes was cancelled after the champion was forced to have neck surgery, shadowing the future of the division with uncertainty.

Fans are being treated to a huge welcome back by the UFC after the promotions six week hiatus. The first Paramount card is stacked from top to bottom, but one of its biggest fights was thrown into the abyss just weeks ahead of the January 24 fight night.

Amanda Nunes was prepped and ready to make her return from retirement. ‘The Lioness’ was coming up against the seemingly unbeatable Kayla Harrison, with the pair finally ready to settle who the greatest fighter in women’s MMA truly is.

Since Harrison’s injury, there’s been much talk of a potential interim title being lined up for Nunes in the champion’s absence. Despite the noise surrounding possible opponents for the Brazilian, Dana White has dismissed the chances of that happening.

“This fight is the greatest female fight ever,” White said in reference to Harrison vs. Nunes. “You can’t just throw somebody else in there.”

“You wait until she’s ready and you do the fight.”

Related: Daniel Cormier discourages Amanda Nunes interim title fight following Kayla Harrison injury

With a huge title opportunity falling out, many would want to be compensated by the UFC. 

Interim title fights have become a common way to appease both the fighter and fans in times of turmoil, though that hasn’t been the case with Amanda Nunes. According to Dana White, Nunes has been incredibly easy to work with over the years, and the pair’s relationship hasn’t changed since her return from retirement.

“Amanda’s so awesome to work with. And, you know, I’ve had a great relationship with her since day one. So, yeah. She’s very easy to work with.”

“I do [expect this fight to happen]. It’s looking like Kayla’s surgery went well. She should make a full recovery. And yeah, we should be able to do the fight this year.”

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UFC legend Amanda Nunes has given her reaction to Kayla Harrison being forced to withdraw from UFC 324 due to a neck injury.

As we now know, Kayla Harrison is out of UFC 324 after undergoing neck surgery for a lingering injury that she’s been dealing with. Of course, that means the superfight against Amanda Nunes is off the cards, with the veteran originally coming out of retirement in order to square off with Kayla.

Alas, that isn’t going to happen, at least for the time being. Amanda Nunes is someone who firmly belongs in the greatest of all time conversation, and while we don’t know how long it’s going to take for Harrison to get back to 100% (or even close to it), you’d have to imagine this is still the fight Nunes wants.

With that being said, Amanda Nunes herself spoke candidly about what the future holds in a video posted to social media by the UFC.

Amanda Nunes reacts to Kayla Harrison’s neck surgery

“People are talking about an interim belt, or fighting someone else and everything, but guys, that’s not happening. I only fight for the regular belt. If UFC vacates the belt, and finds an opponent, then I fight But no interim belt for me.

“I also don’t want to fight another opponent now. That’s not an option. So, let’s see if we wait for Kayla or not, and see what’s going to happen. But, one thing is for sure, I feel good. I’m training a lot, I’m motivated, I’m strong, and I’m 37 years old. Full of energy. The Lioness is still hunting, I’m ready to get my belt back against whoever shows up.”

Nunes vs Harrison is the one we all want to see, but if it doesn’t happen, hopefully ‘The Lioness’ can still go out there and produce some magic this year.

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UFC star Justin Gaethje has named Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira as two fighters he wants to compete against again.

This weekend, Justin Gaethje will attempt to become a two-time UFC interim lightweight champion when he squares off with Paddy Pimblett in the main event of UFC 324. Beyond that, though, nobody really knows what the future holds for ‘The Highlight’, especially if he loses.

Even if he wins, Justin Gaethje is as unaware as the rest of us regarding when Ilia Topuria could be back after dealing with some personal issues as of late. We’re all hoping that Gaethje doesn’t hang up his gloves after Saturday night, and if he does opt to continue, there are some phenomenal options out there for him.

In a recent interview, Justin Gaethje opened up about two losses he really wants to avenge.

Justin Gaethje’s revenge plan

“Honestly, the winner of the BMF belt because those two guys, and it sucks to make excuses, but those are the only two guys that have ever got me not at my best, for two different reasons,” Gaethje said. “I talked about being in a bike crash 18 days before the Oliveira fight, banging my head off the road. I was compromised walking into that fight. And for Max, it was a mindset thing.”

“I think the biggest mistake for me was looking at it as a spectacle fight [the Holloway bout] or a fight that was for fun and not understanding or recognizing the danger that I was in,” Gaethje said. “So I didn’t get to go to my primal, competitive nature. That was a scary night. When you go to a primal place, you’re not there, you’re not retaining information. I remember his face, I’ve never seen an opponent’s face.

“So that was a big mistake for me and it happens in the preparation. There was a lot of mistakes made in my mind and I had the wrong mindset going into that fight and it was a huge mistake and that’s why I want to fight him again.”

Quotes via MMA Fighting

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Donn Davis, the founder and longtime chairman of the Professional Fighters League, announced his resignation from the role on January 21, 2026, marking a dramatic turning point for the organization he built from scratch eight years ago.

Davis revealed the decision in a statement posted to social media, reflecting on his journey from founding PFL in 2017 to establishing what he described as “the clear #2 MMA company worldwide”. The announcement comes amid significant organizational turbulence, with multiple high-level executives departing and the promotion undergoing major structural changes that have abandoned its founding principles.

“From the moment I founded Professional Fighters League 8 years ago, it has been my life,” Davis wrote in his statement. “Today I’m stepping down as chairman of PFL.”​

PFL Founder and Chairman Donn Davis Resigns Amid Massive Executive Exodus

The resignation follows a wave of executive departures that began in July 2025 when John Martin, former chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting, was appointed as PFL’s new chief executive. That move saw founding CEO Peter Murray transition to head PFL International before departing the organization entirely in January 2026. Days later, longtime president Ray Sefo, a holdover from the World Series of Fighting era, also parted ways with the promotion.

Under his leadership, PFL secured significant milestones including a $ 100 million investment from Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Sports Investments in 2023, the acquisition of rival Bellator MMA in November 2023, and the signing of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Davis claimed PFL had grown to 80 of the top 300 world-ranked fighters under exclusive contract, 24 live events per year across four continents, distribution in 190 countries, and 30 million active social media followers.​

Davis himself became a controversial figure within the MMA community. He publicly criticized Frncis Ngannou for missing PFL Africa’s debut event, feuded with UFC commentator Joe Rogan over fighter quality claims, and compared departing two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison to NBA player Kevin Durant joining a super team. UFC president Dana White frequently dismissed Davis and PFL’s competitive threats, at one point stating Davis only comments on things that worry him.

In his resignation statement, Davis emphasized PFL’s accomplishments while expressing confidence in the organization’s foundation. “PFL global footprint, valuable assets, and market position has never before been achieved in MMA outside of UFC,” he wrote. “I’m confident this foundation should lead to great future success.”​

The statement concluded with a philosophical question: “I’ve loved fighting to build PFL. What do you fight for?”​

PFL’s next event is scheduled for February 7, 2026, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, featuring lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov defending his title against Alfie Davis.

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Since making the switch over to the UFC, Justin Gaethje has been one of the most entertaining fighters to grace the octagon. Nicknamed ‘The Highlight’ for a reason, Gaethje continues to stun fans each time he steps into the cage, but his time competing is almost done.

As he continues on his journey to capture undisputed UFC gold, the 37-year-old is already considered by many to be a legend of the sport. He may not hold the same accolades as some of his peers, but the Arizona native will forever be remembered as a man who was incapable of having a boring fight.

Much of the success he has earned throughout his career, Justin Gaethje attributes to his parents, who have been by his side since the very beginning.

“I just have the most amazing parents,” Gaethje said. “The fact that they’re so, the unconditional love, the unconditional support that they have given me and shown me through my whole life is something that I wish every child could experience.”

“I think it allows me to be so free, you know. My family is so loving. So supportive, all my coaches.”

Despite still having the ability to compete at the highest level, Justin Gaethje confirmed that 2026 will be his final year in the sport.

Related: Watch every Justin Gaethje UFC knockout | Video

As he slowly approaches his 40th birthday, Gaethje believes now is a good time to settle down and have children once his UFC career has come to an end.

“I don’t have kids,” Gaethje continued. “I’ve never been married. I’ve been committed to the game since I left high school in 2007. And I do want children. I want children, but I don’t want children until I can be what my parents were for me.”

“So, I’m almost done with this ride. I think, definitely by 2027, I will be done, and I will be able to move on to those other parts of my life… For one, I can’t find a girl that I trust to have kids with. But outside that, I’ve been so committed to training.”

“I think that’s a reason why I feel just as much hunger and just as much fire in me is because I’m still on the same path as I was when I was a little kid.”

Justin Gaethje plans to leave the sport by 2027 😢

"I do want children, but I don't want children until I can be what my parents were for me. I'm almost done with this ride. I think definitely by 2027 I will be done. I will be able to move on to those other parts of my life."… pic.twitter.com/dT1cm6f832

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) January 21, 2026

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