Harrison Doubted Return Before Submitting Nunes

Kayla Harrison retained her UFC women's bantamweight title with a fourth-round submission of Amanda Nunes at UFC 334, but the champion revealed afterward that months earlier she had questioned whether surgery would end her run at the top.

Harrison secured a rear-naked choke at 1:27 of the fourth round in New York to finish Nunes at Madison Square Garden. The win came after a neck procedure earlier in 2026 that delayed the bout multiple times and left Harrison uncertain about her future in the sport.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 334 on Ticketmaster →

Neck Surgery Forced Multiple Postponements of Nunes Fight

Speaking on the Paramount+ broadcast after the fight, Harrison said her recovery raised serious questions about whether she belonged in championship competition. "I never want to just come collect a paycheck," she told the network, per Sherdog. "I never want to just come participate."

The champion said she needed extra months to heal properly before accepting the Nunes matchup. That extended timeline gave her more time in camp and simplified the bantamweight cut, Harrison added. She required just one session to drop the final weight on Thursday and hit 135 pounds Friday morning without trouble.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 334 on Ticketmaster →

Nunes landed heavy right hands early and threatened with her own takedown attempts, but Harrison controlled the action once the fight hit the mat. The champion took Nunes' back in round four and locked in the choke that ended speculation about how the surgery had affected her championship form.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Kayla Harrison doubted elite-level return before submitting Amanda Nunes