Kayla Harrison retained her UFC bantamweight title by submitting Amanda Nunes with a rear-naked choke at 1:29 of the fourth round on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden during UFC 334, according to The Guardian.
Harrison improved her professional record to 20-1 with the victory. Nunes dropped to 23-6 in her first appearance since retiring in June 2023, as reported by Karlobag.
The co-main event marked Harrison’s first title defense and her return to the Octagon following spinal fusion surgery in January 2026 to address a neck injury, said The Guardian.
Bookmakers at BetMGM listed Harrison as a -169 favorite and Nunes at +140, translating to about a 60 percent win probability for the champion, according to Sports Betting Dime.
Man. That was a long time to wait for a fight, only to see Amanda Nunes take away her own best weapons. Credit to Kayla Harrison of course but sure would have loved to see a different fight there.
Early exchanges favored the challenger’s striking. Harrison relied on her two-time Olympic gold medal judo background to ground Nunes in the opening rounds, trapping her in crucifix positions and landing short elbows and punches, as detailed by Cageside Press and MMA Mania.
The pair previously trained together at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida.
Fairytale finishes 🤩 @KaylaH & @WonderboyMMA showed out to earn POTN bonuses at #Polymarket #UFC334! [ B2YB @STC_Canada ] pic.twitter.com/UA5eLDU0oo
The 38-year-old Brazilian challenger entered the event as a former double champion who held titles in both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions, defending both belts during her storied career.
As the fight wore on into the championship rounds, both combatants slowed down inside the Octagon.
In case there was any doubt. [ @KaylaH | #Polymarket #UFC334 | LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/JbbxOnpLrj
In the fourth frame, Harrison caught a kick, threw Nunes off-balance, and quickly took her back to lock in the decisive submission.
“I think I’m still in shock,” Harrison said in the cage after the finish, as reported by FOX Sports.
The champion admitted to difficulties in cutting weight to the 135-pound bantamweight limit, according to AOL. “I've definitely got some injuries after that fight, I'll need to heal up,” Harrison said.
“I’ve got a lot of decisions to make when I get home,” Harrison told The New York Post.
—On a brand new episode today, I am joined by the Champion Kayla Harrison as she gets ready to fight Amanda Nunes, and what will be the greatest women’s fight of all time. There’s a lot of history with these two women. Kayla and I spoke about that and so much more in this… pic.twitter.com/wd1Vc6opkt
Nunes walked out of the cage on her own power following the loss, while Harrison required assistance returning to the locker room with the championship belt, said The Guardian.
Earlier coverage: Amanda Nunes to face Kayla Harrison at UFC 334 on November 14
