Kayla Harrison pulled off a massive statement victory at UFC 334, successfully defending her bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes in an action-packed co-main event. The American showcased her elite grappling skills before securing a submission victory at 1:29 of the fourth round.
The finish was sudden. Harrison caught one of Nunes’ kicks, used it to throw the Brazilian off balance, and quickly took her back before locking in a rear-naked choke. Nunes had no choice but to tap, handing Harrison the biggest victory of her career.
The BIGGEST fight in women’s MMA history 🤩
[ #UFC334 | LIVE on @paramountplus ] https://t.co/6VmyRYaLgn
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) November 15, 2026
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The result was natural given Nunes’ return after nearly four years away from competition. The former two-division champion hadn’t fought since UFC 289 but looked sharp in the opening rounds. However, willingly engaging Harrison in grappling exchanges eventually proved costly.
Harrison, meanwhile, was also returning from a lengthy absence. The champion had been out for 17 months following neck surgery, which forced her original UFC 324 matchup to be postponed.
As for the fight, Nunes started aggressively, landing several clean shots whenever Harrison tried to close the distance. The American eventually took the fight to the ground late in the opening round, where she controlled Nunes and even threatened an Americana.
Nunes responded in the second by becoming the first fighter to take Harrison down in the UFC. However, the champion quickly turned things around with a takedown of her own and spent much of the round controlling the action from top position.
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The third round featured more back-and-forth grappling, with Nunes briefly taking Harrison’s back and threatening a rear-naked choke. Harrison escaped, landed some heavy elbows, and finished the round on top. However, she saved her biggest moment for the fourth, when she finally secured the submission that ended Nunes’ night.
The victory further strengthened Harrison’s case as one of the greatest combat sports athletes of all time. Her resume now includes two Olympic gold medals, multiple PFL championships, and an unbeaten 4-0 record inside the UFC, capped by a victory over one of the sport’s all-time greats.
The 36-year-old was visibly emotional during her post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. While retirement speculation had been building ahead of the fight, Harrison didn’t offer a definitive answer about her future.
She said, “I think I’m still in shock, Joe. I just wanna say that. Listen, if I had won tonight, amazing. If I had lost tonight, okay. If I never won a gold medal, none of it really matters because Jesus plus nothing is everything.”
Reflecting on everything it took to reach this point, she also said, “Sometimes, I cannot believe my life, Joe. Statistically, I’m not supposed to be here. So, to go from that, if you had told me at 6 years old, this would be my life. If you told me at 16 years old, this would be my life, I would not believe you. I am just really grateful; I’m humbled. New York City, I love you!”
Harrison added, “I mean, I’ve got a lot of decisions to make when I get home. Every time I make weight, I say never again. So, we will see. I definitely have some injuries after that fight. I’m going to have to heal up. Thank you, New York City. Thank you to the UFC for allowing me to make my dreams come true.”
She concluded with, “Tyler and Emmery, I love you. Mama’s coming home with some gold!”
With another grueling weight cut to 135 pounds and a return from career-threatening neck surgery behind her, Harrison now has some big decisions to make. For the moment, she can enjoy one of the biggest wins of her career, while Nunes must decide whether she wants to continue fighting or walk away from the sport once again.
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.
