TLDR
- Kayla Harrison is planning to return at UFC 334 on November 14 against Amanda Nunes at Madison Square Garden
- Harrison underwent emergency cervical spine surgery over 14 months ago that forced her out of the original fight
- The UFC bantamweight champion has been back in full training for three weeks after nine months of recovery
- Harrison’s coach Anderson Franca previously trained Amanda Nunes for her 2018 victory over Cris Cyborg
- The fight is being framed as a battle for legacy between Harrison and Nunes, widely considered the GOAT
Sources: yardbarker.com | talksport.com | sherdog.com
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison is planning her return to the octagon at UFC 334 on November 14, more than a year after emergency surgery forced her out of a scheduled title defense. The fight against former two-division champion Amanda Nunes is expected to take place at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Harrison suffered a serious cervical spine injury that required emergency neck surgery in late 2025. The injury forced her to withdraw from the UFC 324 main event against Nunes, which was originally scheduled over 14 months ago.
Recovery and Return to Training
Anderson Franca, one of Harrison’s striking coaches at American Top Team, revealed that the champion has been back in full training for three weeks. “Her injury was very serious. She had to undergo surgery and spent several months unable to train, but she made a great recovery,” Franca told Sherdog.
Amanda Nunes will make her return to the UFC against Kayla Harrison for her women's bantamweight title at UFC 334 in MSG, UFC announced on Saturday.
This bout will serve as the co-main event to Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit. pic.twitter.com/usIyrHDGUC
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 20, 2026
The two-time Olympic judo gold medalist spent approximately nine months unable to train following the surgery. Harrison’s last fight was a second-round submission victory over Julianna Peña, which earned her the bantamweight title.
Nunes is widely considered the greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time. The former two-division UFC champion has defeated nearly every top contender in two weight classes during her career.
Franca has a unique perspective on this matchup. He was one of the key coaches in Nunes’ camp for her 2018 fight against Cris Cyborg, where Nunes scored an upset victory.
“Amanda was considered the underdog against Cyborg, and we trained a lot for that fight,” Franca said. “Now I’ll be on the other side, God willing, helping Kayla beat her.”
More Than a Championship
Franca described the upcoming fight as more than just a title defense. “Kayla is an Olympic champion driven by challenges. She wants to be known as the greatest of all time, and to achieve that she knows she has to beat Amanda, who is considered the GOAT today,” he explained.
The coach emphasized the high stakes of the matchup. “This is about more than the belt. It’s a fight for legacy, and it will be decided by the smallest details. Whoever makes fewer mistakes will leave with the title,” Franca said.
UFC 334 was originally expected to be headlined by Tom Aspinall’s heavyweight title defense. However, Aspinall relinquished the belt after a setback in his eye injury recovery.
The UFC has not officially confirmed the Harrison-Nunes fight for UFC 334. Franca’s comments represent the first public confirmation from Harrison’s camp about the planned return date and opponent.
Harrison’s cervical spine injury was serious enough to require emergency surgical intervention. The recovery timeline of nine months before returning to full training reflects the severity of the initial injury.
The November 14 date would mark Harrison’s first fight in over a year since winning the bantamweight title. The Madison Square Garden venue has historically hosted some of the UFC’s biggest events.
