Kayla Harrison rubbed her hands down her shoulders as she described the lightning bolts of pain — so random and severe that they would shoot through her arms and jolt her awake in agony.
asserted
they → rub → agony
She detailed the numbness in her fingers.
asserted
She → detail → fingers
The daily suffering from five herniated disks in her neck that nearly knocked her out from fighting again.
asserted
that → herniate → her
The dark places her broken-down body took her left Harrison questioning whether she was still worthy of holding the UFC’s 135-pound championship.
asserted
she → break → championship
She was a two-time Olympic judo gold medal champion immobilized in a neck brace for eight weeks and couldn’t lift more than 20 pounds.
asserted
She → immobilize → pounds
“I did not feel good in my body,” Harrison said.
asserted
Harrison → feel → body
Despite the anguish of injuries accumulated throughout her decorated mixed martial arts career, Harrison could still see the light.
uncertain
Harrison → accumulate → light
She had a reason to keep rehabbing: not only to make it to the biggest fight of her career, but to compete in a matchup that stands as one of the biggest women’s fights in UFC history.
asserted
that → have → history
Harrison still has some doubts on how her surgically repaired neck will hold up inside the cage.
asserted
neck → have → cage
There is no doubt she is back and ready to defend her 135-pound championship at UFC 334 when she fights Amanda Nunes — also making a comeback, from retirement — on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
asserted
she → be → Garden
“For sure, Amanda being the one waiting for me at the end of the tunnel was a big help,” Harrison said.
asserted
Harrison → wait → tunnel
“It was important for me to find a way back to Amanda.”
asserted
me → find → Amanda
Nunes ended her retirement to fight Harrison
Nunes is widely regarded as the greatest female fighter of all time.
asserted
Nunes → end → time
A UFC Hall of Famer, she held championships in two weight classes, lost only once in 12 UFC championship bouts and defeated the once-indomitable Ronda Rousey.
asserted
she → hold → Rousey
She retired in 2023, citing burnout and a desire to spend more time with her wife as they raised their two young daughters.
asserted
they → retire → daughters
Those credentials were motivation enough for Harrison to push her way back to compete.
asserted
Harrison → push → way
Harrison was new to professional MMA in 2018 after her Olympic career ended and believed she had found a friend and a mentor in camp with Nunes.
asserted
she → end → Nunes
Nunes, already an established star, saw Harrison as a future star and rival and kept her distance from the hot new prospect who seemed destined for MMA stardom.
asserted
who → establish → stardom
Nunes had little interest in rehashing her personal rivalry that has developed with Harrison.
asserted
that → have → Harrison
The 38-year-old Brazilian is simply focused on Saturday night and proving who really is the best female fighter in the game.
asserted
who → focus → game
“No hate,” Nunes said.
asserted
Nunes → say → ?
“It’s about the challenge that Kayla is bringing and how great it is for women’s MMA.”
asserted
it → ’ → MMA
As for the 36-year-old Harrison, who considered Nunes the GOAT and was grateful she waited this fight out as the delays mounted, she bluntly said of their relationship: “We’re not friends anymore.”
asserted
We → consider → relationship
Nunes vacated the 135-pound title when she retired in 2023.
asserted
she → vacate → 2023
Harrison won the belt in June 2025 when she made Julianna Peña quit late in the second round with Nunes watching from the stands to win a championship in only her third UFC fight.
asserted
Nunes → win → fight
“I see you, Amanda!
asserted
I → see → you
Come on up, Amanda,” Harrison bellowed from the cage.
asserted
Harrison → come → cage
Nunes entered the cage to confront Harrison, and the crowd went wild
asserted
crowd → enter → Harrison
as the two engaged in a brief staredown
asserted
two → engage → staredown
The super fight seemed primed for UFC 324 in January of this year, while Harrison later held out hope for the White House card in June.
asserted
Harrison → seem → June
The injuries were just too much for Harrison to handle and the January neck surgery put her on the shelf.
asserted
surgery → handle → shelf
“I didn’t know how I could not be in pain 24/7,” Harrison said.
uncertain
Harrison → know → pain
“The recovery was a lot longer than I anticipated.
asserted
I → anticipate → ?
I had never had spinal, neck surgery before.”
asserted
I → have → surgery
Harrison struggled with confidence in her comeback
asserted
Harrison → struggle → comeback
Harrison (19-1) is in the longest inactive stretch of her career since she made her pro debut in 2018.
asserted
she → make → 2018
She saw specialists who cautioned she could suffer permanent damage if she didn’t have the neck surgery, and she says she still has two herniated disks that will need surgery once her career is over.
uncertain
career → see → surgery
“When I was finally able to get back on the mat, I really struggled with confidence,” Harrison said.
asserted
Harrison → get → confidence
“I think I was so scared to hurt my neck again.
asserted
I → think → neck
That lack of confidence made me question if I was ever going to feel like me again.
asserted
I → make → me
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
