“The Worst Pain Ever”: Kayla Harrison Opens Up About Neck Surgery That Initially Postponed Amanda Nunes Fight

Ahead of her long-awaited title fight at UFC 334, Kayla Harrison has opened up about her excruciating neck injury that forced her out of her planned UFC 324 fight with Amanda Nunes in January 2026, admitting she was desperate to fight despite the pain she was in. The reigning UFC women’s bantamweight champion ultimately needed emergency surgery after her condition deteriorated just two weeks before the scheduled bout. “I can’t lift my arm. I’m getting lightning bolts,” Harrison recalled during an appearance on the Deep Waters podcast on UFC on Paramount .