Harrison reveals neck surgery nearly ended her career ahead of Nunes title defence at UFC 334

Kayla Harrison came close to retiring before her women’s bantamweight title defence against Amanda Nunes at UFC 334 next month, revealing that emergency neck surgery and a prolonged recovery left her questioning whether she would ever compete again.

Speaking to Uncrowned, Harrison explained that she had been managing five herniated discs throughout her career, relying on stem-cell treatments, anti-inflammatory medication, pain pills, nerve medication, muscle relaxers and physical therapy to stay on the mat. The situation became critical late last year when she lost sensation in three fingers, experienced what she described as “lightning bolts” of pain and noticed significant strength loss in her right arm. An MRI confirmed that the final two of her five herniated discs were fully blocking a nerve, leaving surgery as the only option.

“I wasn’t very good for a very long time, and it was a struggle,” Harrison said. “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.”

The recovery proved as mentally demanding as the injury itself. Harrison spent eight weeks in a neck brace and was restricted to lifting no more than 20 pounds — a jarring contrast to the full-contact preparation she had been undertaking for what she called the biggest fight of her life. She acknowledged that doubts crept in well after the operation.

“After surgery, there were definitely moments where I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this anymore,’” she said. “You go from sparring five rounds and you’re the baddest woman on the planet, to in a straight neck brace. It’s humbling.”

Harrison noted that the nerve pain disappeared immediately after surgery, but that the broader recovery — bone healing, muscle rehabilitation and rebuilding competitive fitness — was a lengthy process she described as one she “had to trust God with.”

The two-time Olympic gold medalist says she is now fully healthy. Her title bout against Amanda Nunes, originally scheduled for earlier in 2025 before the injury forced a postponement, is set for the co-main event of UFC 334.