Harrison Retains UFC Title with Fourth-Round Submission of Nunes

Kayla Harrison successfully defended her bantamweight crown at UFC 334 by submitting former champion Amanda Nunes in the fourth round.

Kayla Harrison retained her UFC women's bantamweight championship on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, submitting Amanda Nunes via rear-naked choke at 1 minute, 29 seconds of the fourth round. Harrison, now 20-1, secured the victory after winning a grappling scramble and immobilizing the former two-division champion on the canvas. The win at UFC 334 marks Harrison's first title defense since winning the belt from Julianna Pena in June 2025.

Nunes, who returned to the Octagon after a 3½-year absence, controlled the standup exchanges early and bloodied Harrison’s lip with a punch. Despite this striking advantage, Harrison landed takedowns in the first two rounds to neutralize the challenger. Although Nunes secured a takedown of her own in Round 3, Harrison reversed the position to regain control before finishing the fight in the following frame.

The 36-year-old champion entered the bout following surgery for herniated discs in her neck, an injury that forced her to withdraw from a previously scheduled January matchup. Following the win, Harrison remained noncommittal regarding her future in the 135-pound division, citing the physical difficulty of cutting weight from her former 155-pound lightweight limit. Nunes falls to 23-6 following the defeat, her first appearance since retiring after a victory over Irene Aldana in 2023.