It began with a dominant win. It ended with a face-off fans have dreamed of for years. Kayla Harrison took center stage at UFC 316, captured gold, then turned to the one name she’s chased since day one, Amanda Nunes. But the moment wasn’t just fireworks and callouts. There was prayer, respect, and a promise of war.
Harrison made short work of Julianna Peña. From the opening bell, she was relentless, closing distance, controlling the cage, and slamming Peña to the mat with Olympic precision. The first round was pure domination. Even after Peña landed illegal upkicks and lost a point, Harrison kept calm and stayed in control.
In the second, she stalked again. Another takedown followed by more punishment. Then, like a predator with perfect timing, Harrison locked in a kimura and Peña tapped within the last ten seconds of the round. The crowd roared. A new queen was crowned.
But there was no bad blood. Harrison later revealed her post-fight conversation with Peña was far from trash talk. “We prayed for each other,” she shared. “It’s not personal. We’re here to fight. This is business.”
KAYLA HARRISON AND AMANDA NUNES FACE OFF #UFC316pic.twitter.com/xVtqjSzNOd
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 8, 2025
Still, as one story ended, another began. Cue Joe Rogan. Inside the cage, with the crowd buzzing, he turned to Amanda Nunes, who had just walked I,n shocking the fans watching, and asked the question everyone was thinking: “Are you coming back?”
Nunes didn’t blink. “Yes. Definitely. I feel like we know this is gonna happen,” she said, pointing to her history with Harrison at American Top Team. “I know you guys will prepare to do that. And now we’re gonna do it.”
(More to follow…)
The post Kayla Harrison Reveals Julianna Pena’s Private Conversation as Joe Rogan Becomes Amanda Nunes’ Matchmaker at UFC 316 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
