Kayla Harrison beats Amanda Nunes to retain UFC title
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Al Jazeera
American Kayla Harrison retained her UFC bantamweight belt by submitting former Brazilian champion Amanda Nunes in the fourth round at UFC 334 in New York. A two-time Olympic judo champion, Harrison dominated on the ground, while Nunes, absent since June 2023, did not regain her rhythm, according to Al Jazeera.
Kayla Harrison submitted Amanda Nunes in the fourth round with a rear-naked choke, retaining her UFC bantamweight title. The 36-year-old American relied on her judo and ground control to dominate the Brazilian, who returned to competition after three years away, Al Jazeera reports.
Nunes, a former UFC bantamweight and featherweight champion, started the fight well with her strikes and her defence against takedowns. However, she spent much of the first two rounds on her back before giving way in the fourth. Harrison now has 20 wins and one defeat, and had undergone neck disc surgery in January.
In the other title fight, Frenchman Ciryl Gane beat American Josh Hokit by unanimous decision after five rounds to keep his heavyweight belt. It was his first successful title defence, according to Al Jazeera.
