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This is the UFC 334 live blog for Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes, bantamweight championship co-main event Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Harrison (19-1) is currently No. 3 in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings. A two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo (the only American to achieve that feat), Harrison took the MMA world by storm, winning her first 15 pro fights and a pair of PFL lightweight tournaments. She won the UFC bantamweight championship with a submission over Julianna Pena, setting the stage for a long-awaited showdown with Nunes, who retired in 2023.
Nunes (23-5) previously trained with Harrison at American Top Team, but Harrison’s rise through the ranks always raised the question whether they could ever meet in the cage. While Harrison was just starting off, Nunes was in the middle of one of the most dominant runs in MMA history, going on a 14-1 run from 2015-2023 that included claiming titles at bantamweight and featherweight and successfully defending those belts a total of eight times. Now, “The Lioness” steps back into the octagon with a chance to add to her already all-time great legacy.
Check out the UFC 334 live blog for Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes below.
Preamble
It took years to get here, but it’s finally happening: Kayla Harrison. Amanda Nunes. Let’s go!
Always tell me the odds
Just about a coin toss per FanDuel, with Harrison the favorite at -158 and Nunes a slight underdog at +134. Man, seeing Nunes as an underdog… feels strange, man.
Round 1
Blake Grice oversees the bantamweight championship co-main event.
Feinting and footwork in the middle of the octagon, neither fighter giving an inch. Neither fighter throwing much out there either. Nunes lets her hands go as Harrison keeps her distance, there’s a right hand that has Harrison retreating. Good leg kick by Nunes. Harrison changes levels but eats a counter right. There’s another hard right by Nunes. The champ is feeling these. Harrison desperate to clinch, it looks like Nunes hit her with something in close. One-way traffic for The Lioness right now.
Harrison with a much-needed body lock, but Nunes not letting her get comfortable and she slips out of there. Nunes on the prowl, looking to strike. Harrison ducks a punch and lands a well-timed takedown, Nunes back up, but Harrison stays connected and lands a trademark judo throw. She has one of Nunes’ arms trapped and she’s landing a lot of unanswered punches, nothing too damaging, though. Nunes throwing her legs up, trying to shift the balance, but Harrison just staying heavy and keeping Nunes’ arm in a bad position.
Will the judges favor Nunes’ heavy punches on the feet or Harrison’s sustained ground offense?
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Nunes.
Round 2
Nunes surprisingly willing to engage with Harrison and she’s actually going for takedowns as they wrestle along the fence. Curious.
Harrison angling for a trip. Nunes keeping her hips and legs out of danger for now. Not much to score in this round, but Nunes isn’t giving up on the grappling. She actually manages to drag Harrison down, that was impressive. Harrison back up to the feet with Nunes hanging on to a body lock. But it’s Harrison who is setting her up as she hits the same throw she did in Round 1 and now with a lot more time to work and a lot less damage done up to this point.
Nunes is stuck and even though Harrison isn’t landing fight-ending shots, she’s pretty much shut Nunes out this round. If Round 1 was close, this is a clear Harrison round.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Harrison. Overall, 19-19.
Round 3
Nunes coming forward with straight punches, wisely keeping her distance for now. Harrison lunges forward to grapple, Nunes changes levels and suggests a takedown before backing away again. Harrison catches a kick and goes in for a takedown, reversal by Nunes and she’s on top against the cage, but this might be exactly where Harrison wants her.
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