For two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison, the plan going forward is simple. After defeating Julianna Peña in June this year, the bantamweight champion faced off against Amanda Nunes, teasing a fight might be on the horizon. She followed that with an appearance on Jorge Masvidal’s Death Row MMA podcast and expressed her desire to face a returning Nunes and flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko. 

While Harrison’s next fight is yet to be made official by the UFC, Shevchenko defended her title against fellow pound-for-pound great Zhang Weili on Saturday. After the fight, ‘Bullet’ said, “I think it’s one of the possibilities, and I consider that,” about potentially moving to bantamweight. Shevchenko claimed she is open to fighting both Nunes and Harrison if and when she makes the leap. Now, Harrison’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has confirmed how things will go.

Kayla Harrison will be the greatest female fighter, says Abdelaziz

Earlier today, Ali Abdelaziz took to X to announce a massive plan for Kayla Harrison’s 2026 campaign. According to him, Harrison will take on Amanda Nunes in January before turning around to face Valentina Shevchenko in June on the UFC’s highly anticipated White House card. “[Kayla Harrison] beats Amanda Nunes in January & she’ll fight Valentina in the White House,” Abdelaziz wrote. 

He believes Harrison will conquer both challenges, cementing her legacy in the process. “And after that, she’ll be the greatest female fighter of all time, no questions asked,” Harrison’s manager concluded. Nunes, who retired in 2023, has already re-entered the UFC’s anti-doping program officially. Due to her retirement, she must complete six months of testing before returning, removing one major hurdle from her potential comeback.

If Abdelaziz’s timeline holds, Nunes vs. Harrison could land on UFC’s first card with Paramount+ in January. The possible Valentina Shevchenko matchup, meanwhile, is being targeted for June’s historic White House event. Still, it’s important to remember that neither card has an official lineup confirmed by the promotion itself. In the meantime, though, Nunes has revealed she wants to fight someone else as well.

Amanda Nunes wants to fight Valentina Shevchenko after UFC 322 dominance

Valentina Shevchenko’s dominant win over Zhang Weili at UFC 322 has already sparked talk about her next challenger. And a familiar name has stepped forward. After watching Shevchenko defend her flyweight title at Madison Square Garden, Amanda Nunes made it clear she wants another crack at her longtime rival. 

With the victory, Shevchenko tied Nunes’ record for the most title fight wins by a female fighter at 11, prompting renewed debate over who truly stands as the greatest woman to ever compete in the UFC. Nunes, who previously defeated Shevchenko twice at bantamweight, is preparing for her return against Kayla Harrison. 

But the Brazilian has her sights set on more than just reclaiming gold. Responding to a post about Shevchenko’s performance, Nunes wrote, “After I beat KH [Kayla Harrison] I’m going to go down to 125 and take this belt for [the] collection too.” 

Having said that, the first quarter of 2026 is shaping up to be absolutely packed with major fights. Still, it remains to be seen whether things will unfold the way Kayla Harrison, Amanda Nunes, and Valentina Shevchenko envision. What do you think of Harrison’s plans?