Amanda Nunes may have already weakened her chances in her UFC return, according to former double-champion Henry Cejudo.
Nunes will challenge Kayla Harrison for the women’s bantamweight title at UFC 324 on January 24, in her first fight since retiring after beating Irene Aldana in 2023. While the matchup is one of the most anticipated of 2026, Cejudo believes Nunes made a major mistake by skipping a tune-up fight.
Speaking on Jorge Masvidal’s Death Row MMA podcast, Cejudo explained that coming back from retirement is far more difficult than many expect — and he learned that firsthand after his own three-year layoff before facing Aljamain Sterling.
“If Amanda is serious about beating Kayla, she’s gonna need a tune-up fight,” Cejudo said. “After a long layoff, you forget what a five-round fight feels like.”
Nunes has opted to return straight into a five-round title matchup against the undefeated Harrison, who has looked nearly unstoppable in her three UFC appearances and successfully made the cut to 135 pounds.
Meanwhile, Harrison has openly stated that beating Nunes — the consensus women’s GOAT — is essential to her own pursuit of becoming the greatest female fighter ever. She believes that wins over Nunes and flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko would cement her legacy, even if only temporarily.
“When I beat Amanda (and Shevchenko), that will make me the greatest of all time for a finite period,” Harrison told Bloody Elbow. “I just want to see how far I can go.”
Before any legacy discussions, Harrison must first defeat the woman whose throne she hopes to claim — and Nunes will have to prove she didn’t need that tune-up fight after all.
