UFC Champ Kayla Harrison Reveals Surgery Scar After Injury Delayed Amanda Nunes Fight

Combat sports fans have received their first major update on Kayla Harrison’s health after the UFC women’s bantamweight champion recently underwent neck surgery.

The UFC kicked off its 2026 schedule last weekend and ended a six-week hiatus when UFC 324 took place in Las Vegas, NV, but the card unfortunately took a major hit when Harrison was forced to pull out of a scheduled title defense against returning UFC Hall of Famer Amanda Nunes.

Fans were still treated to an early “Fight of the Year” candidate in the UFC 324 main event when Justin Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett to win the interim lightweight belt, but there’s no doubt that the promotion’s Paramount debut would have benefited significantly from having arguably the biggest women’s fight in MMA history in the co-main event slot.

Kayla Harrison Shows Off Neck Scar In Post-Surgery Photo

Harrison’s neck injury was made public the week prior to UFC 324, and the Olympic gold medalist almost immediately went in for surgery to address the issue.

Taking a shot at the small segment of online MMA fans that suggested Harrison may have been looking for an excuse to pull out of the Nunes fight, American Top Team recently shared a picture of the UFC women’s bantamweight champion sporting a significant scar from her recent neck surgery.

Harrison vs. Nunes Still Part Of The UFC's 2026 Plans

It’s unclear how long Harrison will need to recover from the operation, but the UFC seems committed to putting the women’s bantamweight title picture on hold until they’re able to rebook the fight with Nunes.

Kayla Harrison (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Julianna Pena (not pictured) in a bantamweight title bout during UFC 316. — Kayla Harrison (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Julianna Pena (not pictured) in a bantamweight title bout during UFC 316 at Prudential Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Considered by many to the greatest female fighter in the history of MMA, Nunes won and defended both the women’s bantamweight and featherweight belts during an incredible UFC run that earned her a Hall of Fame nod last year.

After losing her bantamweight belt in a shocking upset to Julianna Peña at UFC 269, “The Lioness” reclaimed the title in their immediate rematch and defended it once more against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 before announcing her retirement from fighting.

Amanda Nunes celebrates her victory by decision against Irene Aldana following UFC 289 at Rogers Arena. | Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Nunes has made it clear that a matchup with former PFL star Harrison is what motivated her to come out of retirement, which means that Peña’s hopes of a trilogy bout or a first UFC title shot for #3-ranked Norma Dumont appear highly unlikely until the promotion can rebook Harrison vs. Nunes.

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