“The Lioness” no longer sleeps, and women’s MMA is better off for it.

The two-strike revelation in April that Amanda Nunes would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in late June and was ending her two-year retirement, with eyes on retaking her bantamweight championship, only enhanced an intriguing UFC 316 title fight at Prudential Center.

The buzz had a whole lot more to do with Kayla Harrison’s golden opportunity to fight for a UFC belt — one year after her long-awaited promotional arrival, seven years past her pro debut and nine removed from her second historic judo gold medal at the Olympics — than it did with the woman who held it coming into late Saturday night’s co-main event: two-time titlist Julianna Peña.

So what if Nunes made it clear this week, in speaking with The Post, that she’s back for the long haul and with eyes on facing the champion by the end of this year? Nunes vs. Harrison is the steak with all the sizzle. A rubber match with Peña is the cheeseburger off the grill that’s been cooling a bit too long: You’ll take it, but you’d prefer something juicier.