Three Fights Kayla Harrison Should Take Next After Nunes Victory

Kayla Harrison's victory over Amanda Nunes at UFC 334 wasn't just another win. It was a statement. The Olympic judoka dismantled the greatest women's fighter of all time, using relentless wrestling and top control to wear down the Brazilian legend over five rounds. Now Harrison sits atop the bantamweight division with momentum, options, and the kind of problem every champion wants: too many compelling fights to choose from.

The first fight Harrison should take is a bantamweight title defense against Luana Santos. The Brazilian has quietly climbed the rankings with a five-fight win streak, mixing slick boxing with scrambles that have given grapplers fits. Santos represents the exact test Harrison needs: a hungry contender with takedown defense sharp enough to keep the fight standing in stretches. If Harrison can impose her will on Santos the way she did on Nunes, it cements her as the division's undisputed boss. The stylistic clash is clear — Santos wants to counter-punch and sprawl, Harrison wants to clinch and crush. One of those gameplans breaks first, and the winner owns 135 pounds for the foreseeable future.

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The second fight is the one Harrison has talked about since her UFC debut: a move to featherweight to challenge for the 145-pound title. With Nunes likely retired or considering it, the featherweight belt sits as the lone women's championship Harrison hasn't touched. A fight with the current or next featherweight titleholder would make Harrison a two-division champion and give her a claim no other woman in MMA history can match — Olympic gold, PFL titles, and UFC hardware across two weight classes. The narrative writes itself. Harrison has never been a natural bantamweight, and the move up would showcase her grappling at a size where she's even more dominant. If the UFC wants to build Harrison as the face of women's MMA, this is the path.

The third fight is the most dangerous and the most lucrative: a rematch with Nunes if the Brazilian decides to return. Nunes has never been submitted, never been outgrappled for five full rounds, and has built a career on adapting in rematches. If she comes back hungry and sharp, a second meeting with Harrison would be the biggest women's MMA fight the sport can make. Harrison would enter as the favorite, but Nunes has spent a career proving doubters wrong. The hook is simple — can the greatest of all time adjust and reclaim her throne, or does Harrison shut the door for good?

Harrison could take any of these three fights and deliver a main event worthy of pay-per-view. Santos offers the toughest test at bantamweight. Featherweight offers the legacy play. Nunes offers the money fight and the chance to remove all doubt. The smart move is to defend against Santos, then chase the second belt. The bold move is to go straight to featherweight and make history. Either way, Harrison has earned the right to choose her own path — and every option leads to compelling television.