Kayla Harrison has officially shaken up the MMA world. The American was already a bona fide superstar before even arriving in the UFC following her two Olympic judo gold medals at London 2012 and once again in Rio de Janeiro four years later. After a stellar career in the PFL, the Ohio native made her Octagon bow last year, and since then, she has certainly made her mark.
Back-to-back victories in her first two fights against former champion Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira secured her a title shot against reigning bantamweight Queen Julianna Peña at UFC 316. And in her maiden title tilt, the bookies like Thunderpick made her an incredibly short-priced favorite to secure the gold. Thunderpick priced Harrison as a 1.15 frontrunner, and she duly lived up to the billing, proving she was every bit as good as oddsmakers already thought she was.
Kayla Harrison vs Amanda Nunes Just Around the Corner?
A dominating display resulted in Harrison locking in a Kimura in the second round and securing a submission victory and the title. However, it was what immediately preceded her win that truly set the MMA world alight. The newly minted champion immediately campaigned for a blockbuster bout against the greatest female fighter of all time, Amanda Nunes.
The Brazilian knockout artist is the only two-weight women’s champion in history. However, she has been retired since June 2023, leaving the game as the bantamweight champion. Following the callout, the Lioness immediately made her way to the Octagon and squared off with the new champion.
It looks as though both Harrison and UFC fans in general will get their wish and that the two will square off for the gold in the not-too-distant future. That got us thinking, which other fighters have come out of retirement in a bid to become champion? Let’s take a look.
Georges St. Pierre
When Georges St. Pierre walked away in 2013, it wasn’t without drama. The Canadian sensation’s razor-thin victory over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 sparked heated debates. Some thought GSP was handed an absolute gift of a decision, while the challenger was visibly distraught in the Octagon once the scorecards were read. Rather than giving Big Rig a deserved rematch, the champion walked off into the sunset, retiring and vacating the title, much to the dismay of head honcho Dana White.
For four years, fans speculated about his return. Superfights against middleweight king Anderson Silva and newly crowned welterweight champion Robbie Lawler were both rumored, but ultimately never came to fruition. Then, in 2017, St. Pierre was suddenly back.
It was announced that GSP would square off against middleweight champion Michael Bisping in a clash for the ages in the UFC’s first-ever show at Madison Square Garden. And despite the four-year hiatus, when GSP returned, he looked as sharp as ever. His striking was crisp, his timing impeccable.
The all-time great breezed through the opening two rounds of his return fight, winning both on the judge’s scorecards. When he dropped Bisping with a left hook in the third, he wasted no time in closing the show, locking in a rear-naked choke and putting the champion to sleep. Just like that, GSP has become a two-weight world champion, but just as quickly as his comeback had begun, it was over.
St. Pierre retired for a second and final time 34 days after his triumphant return. A return against lightweight king Khabib Nurmagomedov was rumored in the years following his second retirement, but it never materialized into a fight between the two icons.
Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is nothing if not dramatic. Known for his sharp tongue and even sharper left hand, the Notorious One stunned fans in 2016 when he announced his retirement at the peak of his fame. A dispute surrounding a potential rematch with Nate Diaz was the catalyst for the shock announcement, with the Irishman refusing to attend a press conference promoting UFC 200 to continue his training camp in Iceland.
Spoiler alert—it didn’t take long for McGregor to un-retire. After mending fences with the UFC brass, McGregor stepped back into the cage and settled the score with Diaz by securing a redemption-earning majority decision win at UFC 202. But he wasn’t done yet.
McGregor then set his sights on making history, challenging lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 despite already holding the featherweight gold. The result? The Irish phenom’s greatest-ever performance, knocking out the Underground King inside two rounds to become the first ever simultaneous two-weight world champion in history.
Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo’s career trajectory reads like a screenplay. Olympic gold medalist turned MMA superstar, Triple C clinched UFC titles at both flyweight and bantamweight to become one of the greatest smaller fighters of all time. After defeating Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 in 2020, he stunned the world by announcing his retirement.
The decision was a shocker, especially because the self-proclaimed “King of Cringe” had taken both the flyweight and bantamweight divisions to new heights. Fast forward to 2023, and Cejudo couldn’t resist the allure of the Octagon.
He returned to challenge reigning bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling in a bid to retake his throne. Ultimately, though, he came up just short, losing a mightily close split decision to the Funk Master. Even so, his performance proved he still belonged among the elite.
