The Amanda Nunes fight was cancelled because her opponent, UFC bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison, had to withdraw after undergoing neck surgery for herniated discs, which forced the UFC to postpone the bout.

Quick Scoop

The cancelled matchup was scheduled for UFC 324 in Las Vegas and was being billed as one of the biggest fights in women’s MMA, with Nunes challenging Harrison for the bantamweight title. Harrison, 35, traveled to New York to meet with UFC doctors and ended up needing surgery to repair herniated discs in her neck, making it unsafe for her to compete on the planned date. The UFC has not yet announced a new date, so for now the fight is officially postponed rather than permanently scrapped.

What exactly happened?

  • Kayla Harrison reported neck issues and was evaluated by UFC-linked doctors in New York.
  • Doctors recommended surgery to fix herniated discs in her neck, a serious injury for any fighter.
  • After surgery, Harrison pulled out of the scheduled title defense against Amanda Nunes at UFC 324.
  • Because of her withdrawal, the Nunes fight was removed from the card and marked as postponed.

An example of how it has been framed in recent coverage: reports describe the situation as a “setback” for Nunes, emphasizing that she lost a marquee title opportunity due to Harrison’s injury rather than any issue on Nunes’ side.

Forum and fan discussion

On MMA forums and social media, fans have been treating this as another “what if” moment in Nunes’ late career, since many saw this clash with Harrison as a legacy-defining fight. Some posts focus on sympathy for Harrison, noting that neck surgeries can be career-altering, while others worry that the delay might mean the matchup never fully lives up to the hype if it is pushed too far down the line. There is also a lot of talk about their shared history at American Top Team and how that added spice to the rivalry, which makes the postponement feel even more frustrating for fans.

What’s next?

  • The UFC has not confirmed a new date for Nunes vs. Harrison.
  • Harrison will need time to recover and rehab following neck surgery before she can get cleared to fight again.
  • Nunes has publicly reacted to the news, describing it as a disappointing interruption but not the end of her pursuit of the fight once Harrison is medically ready.

Bottom line: the Amanda Nunes fight did not fall through because of contract drama or weight-cut issues this time; it was cancelled because Kayla Harrison’s neck injury required surgery, forcing the UFC to postpone their title bout.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.