Nearly 11 months after it was originally booked for UFC 324, Kayla Harrison will finally defend her bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes at UFC 334. The fight was delayed after the Olympic gold medalist was forced to withdraw because of neck surgery.
Harrison will now make the first title defense of her career after beating Julianna Pena to capture the bantamweight championship at UFC 316. The two-time Olympic gold medalist already had an impressive resume before making the jump to the UFC. She became the first woman to win Olympic gold in judo twice, taking home gold at the 2012 London Games and 2016 Rio Games.
She also won two PFL tournaments at 155 pounds before making the move to the UFC. Nunes, meanwhile, needs little introduction. The former two-division champion is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished women in MMA history.
Nunes last competed at UFC 289, successfully defending her bantamweight title against Irene Aldana before retiring while holding two UFC belts. During her historic run, she ended the reigns of some of the biggest names in the sport, including Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey, while also knocking out Cris Cyborg at UFC 232.
She won 14 of her final 15 fights before stepping away from competition in 2023. Her lone loss during that stretch came against Julianna Pena, whom she defeated in the immediate rematch at UFC 277.
All of that makes this matchup a fascinating clash between two of the most dominant forces women’s MMA has ever produced. However, Dustin Poirier is still backing Harrison to overwhelm Nunes if she can get her ground game going against the Brazilian.
Dustin Poirier Believes Kayla Harrison’s Grappling Can Overwhelm Amanda Nunes at UFC 334
Speaking on UFC on Paramount+, “The Diamond” said, “I think Kayla. For sure [I’m closer with her]. And I’ve known Amanda a lot longer, but I think Kayla, it’s going to come down to the takedowns.”
He added, “Can Kayla use her judo and her wrestling to get Amanda down? If she can, I think she’s gonna have a lot of success.”
Poirier’s confidence in Harrison comes down to what happens if she can get Nunes to the mat. The last time Nunes lost inside the Octagon, she was submitted by Julianna Pena at UFC 269 after Pena weathered her striking and eventually dragged her into a grappling exchange.
The former interim champion believes Harrison has the strength, wrestling, and top game to give Nunes serious problems on the ground. However, he also acknowledged the unique challenge Nunes’ power presents.
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He added, “You know, we’ve seen Amanda submitted before. Kayla’s big, strong, good top position, knows how to grapple, but the length and power Amanda has, you can’t prepare for in the female division. You can’t get girls in the gym who can punch like that.”
With both women potentially nearing the end of their careers, UFC 334 could be a particularly important night for Harrison and Nunes. There have already been rumors that this could be a swansong for both MMA legends, making their long-awaited showdown even more intriguing.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
