Kayla Harrison Stuns UFC 316, Wins Title and Trump’s Praise, Aims for Nunes
Sarah Johnson
June 9, 2025
Brief
Kayla Harrison wins UFC Bantamweight title, celebrates with Trump, eyes Nunes showdown.
In a stunning display of skill, Kayla Harrison claimed the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship at UFC 316, submitting Julianna Peña in a electrifying bout on Saturday night in Newark, New Jersey. The victory, Harrison’s third in the UFC, cements her as a rising star and sets the stage for a potential blockbuster clash with Amanda Nunes, the division’s former queen who retired in 2023.
The Prudential Center buzzed with energy as Harrison stepped out of the octagon to a surreal moment: a warm embrace from President Donald Trump, who was cageside. "I’m thinking, is this real? The president’s here, Mike Tyson’s over there—this feels like a Hollywood script!" Harrison quipped post-fight, her disbelief palpable. Her journey from two-time Olympic judo gold medalist to MMA phenom continues to captivate, with her PFL lightweight titles in 2019 and 2021 already marking her as a force.
Nunes, now out of retirement talks, looms large. "We’ll cross paths soon," she told Harrison, though she’ll need six months of drug testing to return. With Harrison’s wins over Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira already in the books, the MMA world is abuzz with anticipation for what’s next.
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Editor's Comments
Kayla Harrison’s not just winning titles—she’s collecting VIP hugs like they’re Pokemon cards! Trump’s cageside smooch and Tyson’s cameo? It’s like the octagon turned into a celebrity roast. Meanwhile, Nunes is out there, probably wondering if her comeback needs a permission slip from the drug-testing gods.
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