Kayla Harrison Submits Amanda Nunes in Round 4 to Retain UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title at UFC 334
Kayla Harrison retained the UFC women’s bantamweight championship on Saturday night, submitting Amanda Nunes with a rear-naked choke at 1 minute, 29 seconds of the fourth round in the co-main event of UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The finish ended Nunes’ comeback after more than three years away from the sport and settled a fight billed as the biggest in the history of women’s mixed martial arts. Harrison kept the belt in her first title defense and improved her professional record to 20-1.
A Competitive Fight Before the Finish
Nunes, 38, came out firing despite the long layoff. The former two-division champion hurt Harrison several times in the opening round and bloodied the champion’s face, but Harrison mixed in her takedowns and finished the round working from top control.
The second round followed a similar pattern. Nunes landed shots on the feet and scored a surprising takedown of her own, before Harrison reversed position, trapped Nunes in a crucifix and landed short ground-and-pound for much of the frame.
Nunes came back in the third round and took Harrison’s back, but she lost the position and Harrison again worked from the top. This time the champion’s elbows and punches opened a cut on Nunes’ forehead.
The fourth round decided it. Nunes threw a front kick to the body, Harrison caught it and took her to the canvas, then quickly jumped on her back and locked in a tight rear-naked choke. Nunes fought for a few seconds before tapping, and the referee stepped in to stop the contest.
A Comeback Three Years in the Making
Nunes had not fought since June 2023, when she defended her bantamweight title against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 and then announced her retirement. She returned after 1,253 days away, chasing the belt she had never lost inside the cage.
The fight itself was nearly a year in the making. Harrison and Nunes were first scheduled to meet in January in the co-main event of UFC 324, but Harrison withdrew with a neck injury that required surgery. The bout was rescheduled for UFC 334, ten months later, with the bantamweight title on the line.
Harrison won the championship in June 2025, submitting Julianna Pena in the second round at UFC 316. She entered Saturday’s fight at 19-1, while Nunes came in at 23-5. Nunes is a former bantamweight and featherweight champion and is widely regarded as the greatest women’s fighter of all time.
Why This Matters
Harrison’s win settles, at least for now, the debate over the best women’s bantamweight of this era. She beat the division’s most decorated champion in the biggest fight the division has ever staged, and she did it by submission, her signature route to victory as a two-time Olympic judo gold medalist.
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For Nunes, the loss leaves her future uncertain. She came back to reclaim a title she vacated on her own terms, and she was competitive for three rounds before Harrison’s grappling took over. A rematch with Pena, the woman Harrison beat to win the belt, is one option the UFC could turn to next for its champion.
Latest Developments
The heavyweight title fight between champion Ciryl Gane and challenger Josh Hokit followed the co-main event as the UFC 334 main event. Earlier on the main card, Caio Borralho beat Yousri Belgaroui by unanimous decision, Uros Medic and Kevin Holland fought to a majority draw, Luis Gurule upset previously undefeated Bilal Hasan by split decision, and Stephen Thompson won by third-round TKO.
The fight capped a crowded Saturday in American sports that also saw Texas stunned LSU on a last-second touchdown pass and Wales stunned New Zealand for the first time in 73 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Kayla Harrison beat Amanda Nunes?
Harrison won by submission, locking in a rear-naked choke at 1:29 of the fourth round. She caught a front kick from Nunes, took her down, took her back and finished the fight.
When was Amanda Nunes’ last fight before UFC 334?
Nunes last fought in June 2023, defending her bantamweight title against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 before announcing her retirement. She returned after 1,253 days away from competition.
Was this Harrison’s first title defense?
Yes. Harrison won the women’s bantamweight title by submitting Julianna Pena in the second round at UFC 316 in June 2025. The Nunes fight was her first defense of the belt.
What happened in the UFC 334 main event?
The heavyweight title fight between champion Ciryl Gane and challenger Josh Hokit closed the card after the Harrison-Nunes co-main event.
Harrison remains the UFC women’s bantamweight champion, and the division now moves on from a fight years in the making. Nunes, who returned to chase the belt she once owned, will have to decide whether her comeback continues or whether Saturday night at Madison Square Garden was her final fight.
Sources: MMA Mania; theScore; BJPenn.com; MMAWeekly; Bloody Elbow; UFC.com.
