Kayla Harrison says there were times she thought her career might be over.
The UFC women’s bantamweight champion defends her title against Amanda Nunes in the UFC 334 co-main event on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden. The fight was first set for UFC 324 in January, but Harrison needed neck surgery on Jan. 14 and was forced to withdraw.
Harrison told Uncrowned she is healthy now, though the road back was hard.
I’m good. I’m really good. … I wasn’t very good for a very long time, and it was a struggle. There were a lot of moments where I kind of questioned if this was going to be possible, and if I needed to come to terms with the fact that I might be all done. But I’m back.
She said she has had five herniated discs for years and tried to avoid surgery with stem cells, medication and physical therapy. Her symptoms got much worse in December.
I had numbness down my arm, and I couldn’t feel my three fingers, and then I started to get kind of lightning bolts. I lost strength in my right arm, and I was in a really bad spot. Finally I went and got an MRI and they were like, ‘Oh yeah, it looks like the last two of the five herniated discs are completely blocking the nerve at this point.'
Harrison spent eight weeks in a neck brace and could not lift more than 20 pounds. She still has two herniated discs that she plans to address once she is done competing.
After surgery, there were definitely moments where I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this anymore.’ For sure.
The 36-year-old two-time Olympic gold medalist would not say whether the Nunes fight will be her last, but she said she is at peace either way.
I mean, anything is possible. What if they offer me $10 million a fight? I’m just saying anything is possible. I’m already satisfied with my career, let’s get that straight. I could walk away tomorrow and be fine and have peace.
… I want Amanda, a worthy opponent. She brings out the best in me. I think I bring out the best in her, and it is worth my time and my effort to challenge myself against Amanda, and may the best woman win, and I’m excited about it. But I don’t ever have to fight again. I’m good.
