Kayla Harrison’s decision to skip UFC 324 for neck surgery was necessary to address a long-standing injury, potentially preventing paralysis and preserving her career and lifestyle.
Kayla Harrison’s choice to skip UFC 324 for neck surgery might just be a blessing in disguise. Originally, she was set to defend her UFC women’s bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes in Vegas. But that pesky neck injury? It benched her.
Her manager, Ali Abdelaziz, spilled the beans. This injury isn’t new—Harrison’s been grappling with it for years. “Listen, this has been going on for a long time,” he shared with Submission Radio. Imagine dealing with tingling and not being able to lift your arm. Yikes.
Harrison snagged the title with a slick submission win over Julianna Peña at UFC 316. Fans were buzzing for the Nunes matchup since her PFL days. Abdelaziz mentioned that doctors in New York deemed the surgery crucial. It wasn’t just about her title—it was about her life.
“The UFC flew her to New York,” Abdelaziz explained. The diagnosis? A disc pressing on her spinal cord. Scary stuff. But post-surgery? Pain vanished like magic.
Abdelaziz, who’s had neck surgery himself, vouched for the procedure. “I’m almost 50 years old,” he said, noting his neck feels better now than at 21. The UFC ensured she got top-notch care.
Sure, fans missed out on a big fight. But Amanda Nunes isn’t disappearing. Maybe she needed more time, too. Harrison was crushed, though. All that effort, gone. Yet, Abdelaziz supports her decision fully.
“If you go in and lose because you’re injured, it’ll haunt you,” he said. Better to heal and come back stronger.