Kayla Harrison tells Amanda Nunes 'nobody's gonna protect you' as former ATT teammates clash

The UFC bantamweight champion told Nunes she left their old gym because she "felt threatened", and Nunes asked if Harrison thought she was "scared" of her, two days before their title fight.

Kayla Harrison told Amanda Nunes "nobody's gonna protect you on Saturday night" as the former American Top Team training partners went at each other at the UFC 334 press conference in New York on Thursday.

Harrison defends the UFC women's bantamweight title against Nunes at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Asked whether she needed to prove she was the champion on Saturday, Harrison said she would, and that she would then give Nunes "an automatic rematch at 145 so I can snatch that other belt". Nunes told her: "If you don't respect me, I can beat you, Kayla. You're not supposed to be sitting down right there." Harrison answered: "Everybody's tough until you beat them. I respect everyone, but I fear no one."

When Nunes brought up how long Harrison had waited to get into the UFC, Harrison said: "I didn't wait. I was under contract. We were teammates. It was never gonna happen that way. No one was planning it. No one was scheming it." She went on: "Of course, of course I'm gonna say I want to fight you, Amanda. You are the greatest for now, and on Saturday night that changes."

Nunes said: "And I knew this fight was gonna happen," and pointed to the two of them sharing "the same coach". Harrison cut in: "They were protecting you from me." Nunes replied: "Are you serious? Are you serious? After... my resume, you think I'm scared of you, Kayla?"

Harrison said: "I don't care if you're scared of me or not." She then told Nunes: "Nobody's gonna protect you on Saturday night." Nunes said: "I make my own way all the way here." Harrison said: "And then you left the gym because you felt threatened by me. And now I'm here and it's gonna happen."

Earlier at the same press conference, Nunes said she was "not here as a challenger" but as a double champion, saying Harrison had never fought "a lioness". The fight was first set for January before neck surgery on five herniated discs forced it to be postponed, and Harrison told the press conference she is fully healed.

After the questions, Harrison and Nunes faced off on stage with UFC president Dana White standing between them, before both posed with belts.

Harrison v Nunes is on the main card, which starts at 02:00 UK time early on Sunday on TNT Sports. Full UFC 334 UK start times.

READ NEXTAmanda Nunes says Kayla Harrison 'never fight a lioness before' ahead of UFC 334Read the next story →

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