On January 24th, UFC 324 was set to become a remarkable marquee event, marking the first numbered card under the historic Paramount+ CBS era. To match the grandeur, Dana White and the matchmakers lined up an impressive card headlined by two title fights. While fans were excited to watch the show unfold, there was also a quiet fear that something unfortunate could happen. And that uneasy intuition came true, as one of the title fights has now fallen off.

The first numbered card of 2026 has lost its co-main event, with Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight championship no longer happening. Reportedly, Harrison suffered a neck injury during training, a development that comes as a nightmare for Dana White and the event itself.

Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes bout cancelled ahead of UFC 324

“Kayla Harrison is out of the fight against Amanda Nunes on January 24, UFC 324. The information was revealed first-hand by the website The Eagle Tribune, and I was able to confirm now about the cancellation. The champion had a neck injury and needed to undergo surgery,” MMA reporter Léo Walker Guimaraes posted on X. 

With Harrison out of the bantamweight title scene until she recovers, it will be interesting to see whether the UFC sets up an interim title fight featuring Amanda Nunes in the co-main event of UFC 324. While UFC would be looking for a short-notice replacement, they might delay Nunes’ return by scrapping the women’s bantamweight title fight from the matchcard.

“The prediction is that Harrison’s return will happen around six months. I was not informed whether there will be the creation of an interim belt for Amanda to fight for,” Léo Walker Guimaraes added.  

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So, as more details continue to unfold, especially regarding what happens with ‘The Lioness’ comeback fight, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the UFC may keep another interim belt option ready for situations like this. That said, the real question isn’t about creating another gold belt, it’s about who Amanda will fight next. And there are definitely some solid answers to that. 

Potential opponents for Amanda Nunes’ comeback fight 

Under normal circumstances, the promotion could easily replace the champion with another contender. But in this case, Dana White and company need another big name to keep the event’s star power intact. And with barely 10 days left, there’s one name that immediately stands out: Valentina Shevchenko.

‘Bullet’ has already faced ‘The Lioness’ twice at 135 pounds and lost on both occasions. So, this would be a perfect opportunity for her to avenge those defeats. However, Shevchenko is currently the flyweight champion, having just defended her belt against Zhang Weili at UFC 322. That means her headlining UFC 324 would depend entirely on whether she can make the bantamweight limit on such short notice.

For the unversed, her walk-around weight is close to the bantamweight mark, so the UFC might contact their biggest female star first. If that doesn’t work out, there’s another, though less exciting, option. The 135-pound contender, Norma Dumont, could also step in as a replacement. The Brazilian recently defeated Ketlen Vieira at UFC Fight Night: Garcia vs. Onama to secure the No. 3 ranking, making her another possible opponent for Nunes.

That said, with the UFC 324 co-main event now off the table, what do you think will happen next? Will Amanda Nunes get a new opponent, or will the promotion cancel the bout altogether? Let us know in the comments section below.