Are Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes training partners?
Amanda Nunes is widely regarded as the number one women's featherweight fighter while Kayla Harrison is also making a name for herself. Both women train at American Top Team and have trained together in the past.
Kayla Harrison is currently fighting under the PFL banner, one of the few MMA organizations that have an active women's lightweight division. She currently holds an 8-0 record and recently TKO'd Mariana Morais at PFL 2021: 3.
Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes are a part of American Top Team
One reason behind her dominance may be the elite roster of training partners Kayla Harrison has at American Top Team, or as it is more commonly referred to, ATT.
ATT is an elite MMA gym and has enhanced the skills of a host of high-level fighters, including the likes of Jorge Masvidal, Andrei Arlovski and Tyron Woodley. However, the biggest name at their gym may well be 'The Lioness,' Amanda Nunes.
Nunes is the current UFC featherweight and bantamweight champion and has not lost a fight since 2014. She is considered by many to be the women's pound-for-pound number one, as she has essentially cleared out two UFC divisions. The Lioness has been left with little in terms of competition in both divisions.
How did training between Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison go?
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Kayla Harrison revealed that she sparred with the Brazilian champion on what was only her second day of MMA training. This is a testimony to the elite champion-level mentality Harrison possesses.
She was happy to train with one of the greatest female fighters of all time despite having no experience in MMA.
"We sparred on my second day of training at American Top Team. I literally had never had a fight, and I was like yeah, let's spar," said Kayla Harrison.
While they are both stablemates at ATT, it is unlikely the two champions will be regular training partners. Harrison appears to typically train with UFC bantamweight Yana Kunitskaya as well as regional fighters Chase Boutwell and Anthony Mychael.
However, Harrison has previously posted a picture of herself and Nunes post-workout. While they may not be regular sparring partners, with both women under the ATT roof, it is inevitable that they will occasionally train together. The image was partnered with the caption:
"Iron sharpens iron."
A future fight between Nunes and Harrison?
Harrison has professed an interest in potentially fighting Nunes at some point in the future. However, the judoka has complete respect for Nunes, and only wishes to fight her because she holds the status of 'GWOAT.'
Harrison stated that:
"It's a huge honor for me. The biggest compliment that I can give to Amanda is to tell her that I do want to fight her someday. Because she is the greatest. She is what I'm chasing. She is a great champion, in the cage, outside of the cage. I respect her so much."