Overview

• Julianna Peña will defend her UFC women’s bantamweight title against former two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison at UFC 316 on June 7.
• At midweek check-ins Harrison tipped the scale at 151.8 pounds—heavier than some male bantamweights—forcing her to undertake a punishing final weight cut ahead of the official weigh-in.
• Amanda Nunes has publicly signaled her intention to return from retirement and hinted she will challenge the winner of the Peña-Harrison bout for the 135-pound title.
• Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko said she could shift to bantamweight only for an Amanda Nunes trilogy while prioritizing her own recovery and a potential superfight against Zhang Weili.
• Kayla Harrison’s manager Ali Abdelaziz has outlined a strategy for her to win additional UFC belts at 145 and 135 pounds and then pursue a WWE championship.