Boxing World Champion Amanda Serrano Calls Out Amanda Nunes to Be Replacement in UFC Match
Amanda Serrano is ready to step in for Kayla Harrison.
The UFC’s highly anticipated Paramount+ premiere on January 24 took a huge blow after reigning bantamweight queen Kayla Harrison announced that she was out of her UFC 324 clash with Amanda Nunes.
Little more than a week before the event, the two-time Olympic gold medalist revealed she had recently undergone neck surgery, forcing the promotion to postpone the most anticipated fight in women’s MMA history.
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“This is a tough one,” Harrison said in an emotional video on Instagram. “I had to have surgery on my neck yesterday here in New York City with the specialist, Dr. Kim. So in lieu of that, obviously we’re going to have to reschedule the fight. And I just want to say I’m sorry, I’m sorry to Amanda. I was really looking forward to it.”
Amanda Serrano ready to step in and replace Harrison at UFC 324
It’s unclear whether or not the UFC will seek a replacement for Nunes’ return bout, but if ‘The Lioness’ hopes to stay on the fight card, boxing’s unified female featherweight world champion is more than willing to step in.
“If UFC and Amanda Nunes are thinking of a replacement, I would love the challenge as I’m still in fight shape,” Serrano wrote on X. “Hope the champ recovers well.”
Though Serrano is best known for her work in eight-ounce gloves, ‘The Real Deal’ has dipped her toe into the world of MMA. In 2018, she competed twice under the Combate banner, going 1-0-1 with her victory coming via a first-round submission. She added another win to her mixed martial arts resume in June 2021, defeating Valentina García via a guillotine choke at iKON Fighting Federation 7.
Chances are, the UFC will opt to keep Nunes on the sidelines until Harrison recovers and is ready to go, but there’s no denying that Nunes vs. Serrano would be one hell of a way to kick off the UFC’s partnership with Paramount.
