TLDR
- Dustin Poirier believes Kayla Harrison‘s ability to secure takedowns will decide her UFC 334 fight against Amanda Nunes
- Amanda Nunes returns after three years of retirement to defend against women’s bantamweight champion Harrison
- Former UFC fighter Diana Belbita says the outcome depends on which version of Nunes shows up after long layoff
- Harrison recently recovered from neck surgery that delayed the fight multiple times since January
- Both Belbita and Harrison’s training partners suggest the champion may retire soon due to difficult weight cuts
Sources: yardbarker.com | heavy.com | talksport.com
Former UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier has weighed in on the upcoming women’s bantamweight championship fight between Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison at UFC 334. Poirier believes the outcome will depend on one specific factor.
The fight will mark Nunes’ return to the octagon after a three-year absence. The 38-year-old retired after defeating Irene Aldana by unanimous decision at UFC 289 in 2023.
Nunes is widely considered one of the greatest female MMA fighters of all time. Her career victories include wins over Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, and Cris Cyborg.
The Brazilian-American fighter ended her retirement in 2025 and was scheduled to face Harrison multiple times before injuries delayed the bout. The fight was originally targeted for UFC 324 in January but Harrison withdrew due to injury.
Sean Strickland says 'no one gives a f**k' about women's MMA and thinks the average man could beat up Amanda Nunes 😬
"We gotta remember what women excel at – having kids, being mothers, making food, cleaning the house. Problem is we've empowered them too much to ruin society.… pic.twitter.com/4bxYZylN2Q
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 18, 2026
Poirier Picks Harrison If Fight Goes to Ground
Speaking on UFC on Paramount+, Poirier said Harrison would have the advantage if she could utilize her grappling skills. “I think Kayla, it’s going to come down to the takedowns,” he explained.
“Can Kayla use her judo and her wrestling to get Amanda down? If she can, I think she’s gonna have a lot of success,” Poirier said.
The UFC veteran noted that Harrison’s size and grappling ability could overwhelm Nunes on the mat. “We’ve seen Amanda submitted before,” Poirier stated, referencing Nunes’ loss to Julianna Pena at UFC 269 in 2021.
“Kayla’s big, strong, good top position, knows how to grapple, but the length and power Amanda has, you can’t prepare for in the female division,” Poirier added. “You can’t get girls in the gym who can punch like that.”
Harrison won the UFC women’s bantamweight championship by submitting Pena and holds a professional record of 19-1. She recently underwent neck surgery, which caused the latest postponement of the Nunes fight.
Former UFC Fighter Questions Which Nunes Will Appear
Former UFC fighter Diana Belbita also shared her analysis of the matchup. She believes Nunes’ performance after such a long layoff will be crucial.
“I feel like everything depends on how Amanda comes back because if we are going to see the vintage Amanda, the one before she decided to retire, then she has a greater chance to win,” Belbita told The Game Plan. “But if Amanda is not the same, it’s different.”
Belbita pointed out the challenges retired fighters face when returning to competition. “As a retired fighter, I know how that feels. Once you are done fighting, you don’t train as much,” she said.
The former UFC competitor gave Harrison the edge if both fighters are healthy. “If Kayla Harrison is fully healthy, she has a great chance to win,” Belbita stated.
Belbita also suggested that Harrison might not compete much longer after UFC 334. “I feel like Kayla will retire soon because I know the weight cut takes a big toll on her body,” she explained.
Harrison has been open about her struggles making the 135-pound bantamweight limit. The Olympic gold medalist spent years training alongside Nunes before joining the UFC.
Nunes avenged her loss to Pena at UFC 277 in 2022 before her final pre-retirement fight against Aldana. The UFC 334 fight was initially scheduled for UFC 331 last week before being postponed to November.
