Kayla Harrison forced Amanda Nunes to tap out in the fourth round at UFC 334 in New York, retaining her bantamweight title with a rear-naked choke at Madison Square Garden. The victory came just 10 months after Harrison underwent neck and spinal surgery, ending the contest against a former double champion who had returned from retirement for the bout.
Nunes, 38, was making her first appearance since retiring in 2023 after a career that saw her dominate both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. The Brazilian fighter had left the UFC as the only woman to hold two titles simultaneously and the only fighter to defend both belts successfully. Her decision to come back was sparked by the challenge of facing Harrison, a friend and former training partner at American Top Team Gym, although Nunes had departed the gym in 2022.
The fight started with Nunes landing several straight rights, asserting her striking advantage early. However, Harrison quickly turned the tide. The American took the fight to the ground, where her judo background shone through. After a hip toss, Harrison gained a dominant position, and as the rounds progressed, she cut Nunes with a heavy elbow and right hand while on the ground.
The decisive moment arrived in the fourth round. Harrison caught a kick from Nunes, off-balanced her, and locked in the submission that ended the fight. Harrison’s win moves her record to 20 victories in 21 professional fights, reinforcing her standing among combat sports athletes.
After the match, Harrison spoke about the personal hurdles she has overcome. As a child, she survived sexual abuse by her judo coach, who was later sentenced to 10 years in prison. She went on to win two Olympic gold medals in judo before transitioning to mixed martial arts, where she secured two PFL lightweight world championships prior to joining the UFC.
“I was sexually abused at a young age, statistically I’m not supposed to be here,” Harrison said. “If you’d told me at six years old this would be my life and at 16, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’m really grateful, humbled and it’s an honour and privilege to stand before you.”
Harrison also revealed she is considering retirement due to the physical toll of making weight at 135 pounds (9st 9lb) and the injuries sustained during the fight. “I’ve got a lot of decisions to make when I get home. Every time I make weight I say never again,” she said. “I’ve definitely got some injuries after that fight, I’ll need to heal up.”
Nunes suffered the sixth loss of her 29-fight career but leaves the sport with her legacy intact after beating some of MMA’s greatest names, including Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, and Valentina Shevchenko.
In the main event at UFC 334, heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane defended his title with a unanimous decision win over Josh Hokit. Gane, 36, landed more consistently from the back foot despite relentless pressure from the 28-year-old American challenger, who was fighting for the belt after just one year in the UFC.
The contest featured a UFC heavyweight record 383 significant strikes. Gane’s counter striking made the difference as Hokit’s pace slowed in the later rounds. Gane’s jab and timing allowed him to control the fight and secure victory, setting up a potential rematch against Tom Aspinall, who vacated the title in September but may return pending recovery from an eye injury.
On the undercard, British lightweight Chris Duncan defeated American Drew Dober by unanimous decision, returning to winning form after a loss in April. Meanwhile, Stephen Thompson ended his 16-year career with a win, stopping Charles Radtke with a spinning wheel kick before retiring at age 43 with 18 wins in 28 professional bouts.
According to BBC Sports.
