Amanda Nunes ends retirement to challenge Kayla Harrison at UFC 334

Amanda Nunes ends her retirement on Saturday to challenge UFC bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison at UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden in New York, after both fighters made the 135-pound championship limit, according to MMA Sucka.

The fight was first scheduled for January but was postponed when Harrison needed neck and spinal surgery, BBC Sport reports.

Why Nunes came back

Nunes, 38, walked away in 2023 widely regarded as the most successful woman in MMA history. BBC Sport says she has a strong case to be considered the greatest fighter of all time, regardless of gender.

She is the only woman to have held UFC titles in two weight classes at once, and the only fighter, male or female, to defend both belts successfully. Her victims include Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Valentina Shevchenko. She also won back her bantamweight title after Julianna Pena beat her in one of the sport’s biggest upsets.

Nunes says Harrison’s arrival in the UFC is what tempted her back. “When Kayla signed with the UFC and I saw the division with some new girls it excited me,” she told BBC Sport.

Harrison’s route to the title

Harrison, 36, is a two-time Olympic judo gold medallist who went on to win two PFL lightweight world titles after moving into MMA. She signed with the UFC in 2024 and won the bantamweight belt in only her third fight for the promotion.

She and Nunes were once friends and team-mates at American Top Team Gym, until Nunes left in 2022. Pundits have called the fight one of the biggest women’s bouts in UFC history.

Layoffs, surgery and the odds

Harrison is still the betting favourite, MMA Sucka reports. Nunes has not fought since June 2023, when she beat Irene Aldana and retired. Bloody Elbow notes that it is 18 months since Harrison submitted Pena to win the title, so the champion’s own recovery may have cancelled out any advantage from Nunes’ long layoff.

Joe Rogan, the UFC colour commentator, said on his JRE MMA Show that Nunes might suffer from ring rust, or might be experienced enough to settle straight in. He also pointed to Harrison’s surgery. “She had a disc replaced in her neck. That’s a big one,” he said. He argued that Nunes holds a major edge on the feet: “In the standup, Amanda has such an advantage.”

Weigh-in reaction

The UFC on Paramount+ account posted the weigh-in video on Instagram. MMA Sucka reports that many fans thought Harrison looked drained while Nunes looked relatively fresh. One wrote: “Kayla looks rough. Nunes by TKO.”

“I’m not here today as a challenger, I’m here today as a double champion,” Nunes said.

MMA Sucka also reports that Harrison is confident of winning and wants an immediate rematch with the Brazilian, but at a higher weight.