Kayla Harrison Retains UFC Bantamweight Title with Submission Victory Over Amanda Nunes

In a high-stakes main event at Madison Square Garden on November 14, 2026, Kayla Harrison successfully defended her Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight title by defeating Amanda Nunes via a fourth-round submission. The American fighter utilized her elite grappling skills to thwart the comeback attempt of one of the sport's all-time greats.

Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo champion, faced the legendary Amanda Nunes, who had previously dominated as a two-weight champion at bantamweight and featherweight before her June 2023 hiatus. Despite a strong start where Nunes looked crisp in her striking, the Brazilian fighter struggled to overcome the ring rust from her long absence. Harrison eventually dominated the fight with a scarf-hold position and a display of judo-inspired trips and tosses.

The bout concluded in the fourth round when Harrison secured a rear-naked choke, forcing the 38-year-old Nunes to submit. Following the victory, Harrison, who had undergone surgery for herniated disks in her neck in January, expressed her gratitude and humility, stating she was still in shock at the result.

In the co-main event, Ciryl Gane of France retained his heavyweight title through a unanimous decision victory over American Josh Hokit. After a grueling five-round battle, Gane swept the scorecards with scores of 48-47 across the board. While Hokit showed significant resilience and pressure in the middle rounds, Gane's superior striking and defensive grappling in the final rounds secured the win.

Following the fight, Gane described the encounter as an amazing fight, while Hokit noted that resilience builds character despite the loss.