Kayla Harrison injury: UFC champion proclaims 'I'm back' as she ...
Harrison is working towards an expected title defense against legend Amanda Nunes after suffering a herniated disc
www.cbssports.comKayla Harrison, the UFC women's bantamweight champion, has recently been in the news for an injury and return timeline, with updates in April 2026 indicating she’s back in training after neck surgery and aiming for a title defense against Amanda Nunes. Earlier reports in March 2026 noted she was recovering from neck surgery and planning to resume training pending CT scans, with a return to drilling and sparring potentially on the horizon. TMZ coverage in March–April 2026 highlighted her hospital update and declaration that she’ll be back soon, reinforcing the ongoing recovery narrative. For broader context, her official UFC profile and recent articles also reference the planned rematch with Nunes and her ongoing path back to competition.[1][2][3][8][9]
Key points
- Injury and surgery: Neck issue (herniated discs) requiring surgery, with a recovery period and careful return-to-training plan.[2]
- Return timeline: Public statements in April 2026 suggested a timeline toward return; CT scans were part of clearance considerations before resuming drills.[1][2]
- Opponent and title picture: The anticipated title fight against Amanda Nunes remains the central storyline, with the plan to rebook that bout once Harrison is cleared to compete.[9][1]
Illustration
- Timeline snapshot: Injury → neck surgery → gradual return to mats → progress toward sparring/drills → planned title defense vs. Amanda Nunes.
If you’d like, I can pull the latest articles and assemble a concise, sourced update with dates and quotes, or I can summarize the current status as a single brief paragraph. I can also track upcoming fight date possibilities if you want a forward-looking outlook. Would you prefer a brief summary or a deeper, source-cited dossier?