Kayla Harrison has been forced to withdraw from her highly anticipated title defense against Amanda Nunes, originally scheduled for next week’s UFC 324 event in Las Vegas.
According to a report from The Eagle Tribune, Harrison underwent surgery this week to repair herniated discs in her neck. The injury reportedly made it impossible for the reigning champion to continue her fight camp or compete as planned.
The UFC has not yet issued an official statement regarding Harrison’s withdrawal or offered details on whether the fight with Nunes will be rescheduled for a later date.
UFC 324 was set to mark one of the promotion’s most anticipated matchups of the year, pitting two Olympic-level competitors against each other in a blockbuster main event. With Harrison sidelined, it remains unclear if the organization will look to find a replacement opponent for Nunes or postpone the bout entirely.
More details are expected to follow as the UFC finalizes its updated plans for the Las Vegas card.