Amanda Nunes Ends Three-Year Retirement to Challenge Kayla Harrison for UFC Gold at UFC 334

Amanda Nunes walks back into the octagon at Madison Square Garden on Saturday 14 November 2026, ending a retirement that lasted more than three years, to challenge Kayla Harrison for the women’s bantamweight title in the co-main event of UFC 334. The fight pairs the former two-division champion against the reigning champion and two-time Olympic judo gold medallist, in a bout the UFC has billed as one of the biggest women’s fights in the promotion’s history.

Nunes, 38, has not fought since 10 June 2023, when she beat Irene Aldana by unanimous decision at UFC 289 and then placed both of her championship belts on the canvas and retired on the spot. Harrison, meanwhile, arrived in the UFC during Nunes’ absence and took the bantamweight belt the Brazilian once held. Their meeting at UFC 334, headlined by Ciryl Gane’s heavyweight title defence against Josh Hokit, settles a question that has hung over the division since Nunes walked away.

UFC 334 — Quick Reference Summary

The Lioness Walks Back Into the Octagon

Nunes left the sport at the very top. Her final performance before retirement was a five-round masterclass against Aldana in Vancouver, scored 50–44, 50–44 and 50–43, after which she vacated both the bantamweight and featherweight titles. She was the first woman to hold two UFC titles at the same time, and her record includes wins over Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg, two of the most feared names the division has ever produced.

The Brazilian has been open about why she stepped away. Speaking to UFC.com in fight week, she said she was mentally exhausted and feared losing if she kept fighting, adding that she simply was not happy at the end of her first run. Three years on, she says she feels refreshed, and she has told reporters she intends to defend the title if she wins it, rather than treating the Harrison fight as a one-night farewell.

A Title Fight Three Years in the Making

This is not the first time the two women have been booked to meet. They were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 324 in January 2026, but Harrison withdrew after suffering a neck injury that required surgery for five herniated discs, and the bout was postponed. Nunes chose to wait for the champion to recover rather than take a replacement opponent for an interim belt.

The delay only raised the stakes. Harrison has already spoken about what comes next, telling reporters at Thursday’s press conference that she wants a second fight with Nunes at featherweight after Saturday, and that she would hand the Brazilian an automatic rematch at 145 pounds. The women’s featherweight division has been dormant since Nunes retired in 2023 holding both straps, so a Harrison win could reopen a weight class the UFC effectively closed.

Two Former Teammates, One Belt

The rivalry carries a personal edge that goes beyond the title. Nunes and Harrison were once teammates at American Top Team in Florida, training under the same roof before their careers took them in different directions. Harrison arrived in the UFC after a decorated judo career and quickly captured the championship her former training partner once held, winning the belt and defending the division’s top spot while Nunes watched from retirement.

Their styles could hardly be more different. Harrison’s path to victory runs through the clinch, the body lock and relentless top pressure, the grappling base that made her a two-time Olympic champion. Nunes, by contrast, has built her legacy on range, timing and power, with the right hand that finished Rousey and Cyborg still the most feared weapon in women’s mixed martial arts. Analysts on the Paramount+ broadcast team have suggested the fight could turn on whether Harrison can close the distance without walking into that right hand.

What the Numbers Say About Harrison vs Nunes

The betting market makes Harrison the favourite, but only narrowly. Odds listed on 14 November 2026 had the champion at −170 and Nunes at +145, while the picks of MMA Junkie’s writers split 7–4 in Nunes’ favour, a sign of just how evenly the fight is viewed. Harrison enters at 19–1, with her only professional defeat coming before her UFC run, while Nunes’ 23–5 record includes 16 wins inside the octagon.

Saturday is scheduled 1,253 days after Nunes last fought, and 525 days after Harrison won the title. Both women weighed in at 135 pounds on Friday, according to the event’s official guide, and the bout is scheduled for five rounds beneath the heavyweight main event between Gane and Hokit.

The Rest of the UFC 334 Card

The night has already produced one storybook ending. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, 43, won the final fight of his career by knockout against Charles Radtke, dropping his opponent with a signature wheel kick to the head in the third round before telling Joe Rogan in the cage that he loved him. Thompson, who had promised himself he would not cry, thanked his family, his team and the fans as his career closed in front of a New York crowd.

Elsewhere on the card, Luis Gurule upset the previously unbeaten Bilal Hasan by split decision, and Terrance McKinney stopped Jim Miller by first-round knockout despite missing weight by 4.2 pounds. The main event sees Gane, elevated to undisputed heavyweight champion after beating Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall’s decision to vacate the belt, defend against the unbeaten Hokit, a former San Francisco 49ers practice-squad player who is 10–0 in mixed martial arts.

The scale of the occasion is underlined by the venue. Madison Square Garden has hosted some of the most famous nights in combat sports history, and UFC 334 puts a women’s title fight with genuine claims to being the biggest in the sport’s history on the same card as a heavyweight championship. For Nunes, the question is whether three years away has dulled the edge that made her the consensus greatest women’s fighter of all time. For Harrison, it is whether she can beat the woman whose shadow has hung over the division since she left it.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Amanda Nunes vs Kayla Harrison?

The fight is the co-main event of UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday 14 November 2026, with the main card starting at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+ in the United States.

What title is on the line at UFC 334?

Harrison defends the UFC women’s bantamweight championship against Nunes, who is challenging for the belt she vacated when she retired in June 2023.

Why did Amanda Nunes retire in 2023?

Nunes retired immediately after beating Irene Aldana at UFC 289, saying she was mentally exhausted and feared losing if she continued. She vacated both the bantamweight and featherweight titles.

What are Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes’ records?

Harrison is 19–1 in MMA and 3–0 in the UFC. Nunes is 23–5 in MMA and 16–2 in the UFC.

Who is the favourite for Harrison vs Nunes?

Harrison is the betting favourite at −170, with Nunes the underdog at +145, according to odds listed on 14 November 2026.