Gane Edges Hokit 48-47 to Retain UFC Heavyweight Title as Harrison Submits Nunes

Ciryl Gane is still the UFC heavyweight champion, and Kayla Harrison is still the queen of the women's bantamweight division. UFC 334 delivered everything fight fans hoped for on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York, as Gane survived a brutal five-round war with previously unbeaten Josh Hokit to retain his title by unanimous decision, 48-47 on all three judges' cards.

In the co-main event, Harrison defended her belt by submitting Amanda Nunes with a rear-naked choke in the fourth round, ending the greatest female fighter of all time's comeback bid. The two champions combined with a record-setting main event and a farewell knockout from Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson to make it one of the strongest cards of the year.

Key Points

• Ciryl Gane retained the UFC heavyweight title, beating Josh Hokit by unanimous decision, 48-47 on all three cards, at UFC 334 in New York on Saturday, November 14, 2026.
• Gane and Hokit combined for 388 significant strikes, a UFC heavyweight record; Gane's 152 passed Daniel Cormier's individual mark.
• Kayla Harrison retained the women's bantamweight title, submitting Amanda Nunes with a rear-naked choke in Round 4.
• Hokit, 10-1, suffered his first professional loss; Gane improved to 15-2 with one no-contest.
• Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson ended his career with a third-round TKO of Charles Radtke, finished by a spinning wheel kick at 2:54 of Round 3.

What Happened

Hokit charged forward and tripped Gane to the canvas within seconds of the opening bell, but the champion scrambled back to his feet. Gane found his range with jabs as Hokit pressed behind wide overhand rights, then put together one of his best combinations of the round, only for Hokit to lift and slam him before the bell. The challenger kept the pressure on in the second, bloodying Gane's nose, and in the third he took Gane's back and landed short elbows in the clinch.

Gane turned the tide in the fourth, using uppercuts to deter Hokit's entries and landing more consistently to the body. In the fifth, Hokit's punches lost power while Gane mixed attacks to the head and body. Hokit caught Gane with two hard right hooks with about a minute left but could not follow up, and the champion saw out the final seconds. In the co-main event, Nunes stunned Harrison twice with right hooks early, but Harrison survived, reversed a takedown, and in the fourth tripped Nunes, took her back and secured the rear-naked choke that forced the tap.

Background: Two Titles, One Historic Night at Madison Square Garden

UFC 334 was built around two championship fights with very different stories. Hokit arrived at Madison Square Garden at 10-0 as a professional, 4-0 in the UFC, known for relentless pressure and a pace heavyweights rarely sustain. Gane, the French star, was the more polished striker, but the question was whether he could handle five rounds of Hokit's pressure. The answer, just barely, was yes.

The co-main event carried more history. Nunes, 23-6, is the former two-division champion widely regarded as the greatest female fighter of all time, returning after retiring as champion in June 2023. Harrison, 36, the two-time Olympic judo champion, was herself returning from neck surgery and defending the title she won after Nunes walked away.

UFC 334 Results: A Record Night in Numbers

The 388 significant strikes landed by the two men combined set a new UFC heavyweight record, and Gane's 152 passed the individual mark previously held by Daniel Cormier. For a division usually decided by one big punch, Gane and Hokit fought a volume war more typical of the lighter classes, and did it for the full 25 minutes. Elsewhere, Caio Borralho beat Yousri Belgaroui 30-27 on all three cards, Kevin Holland and Uros Medic fought to a majority draw, Terrance McKinney stopped Jim Miller in the first round, Cesar Almeida handed Donte Johnson his first loss, and Beatriz Mesquita submitted Macy Chiasson in the first round.

Reactions: "AND STILLLL!!" as Harrison Keeps Her Crown

The UFC's own account captured the co-main event finish in the language fight fans know best, posting: "AND STILLLL!! KAYLA HARRISON SUBMITS AMANDA NUNES!!" Harrison did not announce a retirement decision in her post-fight remarks, leaving the door open to whatever comes next. For Nunes, the defeat raises the question of whether the comeback ends here. She lost for the first time since Julianna Pena beat her, also by rear-naked choke, in December 2021.

Why It Matters

UFC 334 answered the two biggest questions hanging over the sport's biggest divisions. At heavyweight, Gane proved he can win a war of attrition against a relentless, unbeaten challenger, and set a striking record that redefines what is possible in the division. The 48-47 scorecards will fuel debate, and a rematch is now almost inevitable. At bantamweight, Harrison's win settles who rules the division. Beating Nunes, even a returning Nunes, is the most significant win of her career, and it validates her own return from neck surgery, an operation that kept her out of the cage and raised doubts about whether she would ever be the same fighter. She was, when it mattered most.

What Happens Next

The most obvious next step is a rematch between Gane and Hokit. A 48-47 decision in a record-setting fight, with the challenger winning at least one round on every card, is exactly the kind of result that demands a second meeting. For Harrison, the future is wide open. She holds the bantamweight title, has beaten the greatest fighter in the division's history, and has not announced retirement plans. The next challenger will likely come from the rising contenders at 135 pounds, including the unbeaten Beatriz Mesquita, 9-0 after submitting Macy Chiasson on the same card. Nunes faces the hardest decision of her career, while Thompson walks away on his own terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the UFC 334 main event?
Ciryl Gane retained the UFC heavyweight title, beating Josh Hokit by unanimous decision, 48-47 on all three cards, after five rounds at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 14, 2026.

How did Kayla Harrison beat Amanda Nunes?
Harrison retained the women's bantamweight title by submitting Nunes with a rear-naked choke in the fourth round of the co-main event. It was Nunes's first fight since retiring as champion in June 2023.

What record did Gane and Hokit set at UFC 334?
The two combined for 388 significant strikes, a new UFC heavyweight record. Gane's 152 passed Daniel Cormier's individual heavyweight record.

Did Stephen Thompson retire after UFC 334?
Yes. Thompson fought his retirement bout against Charles Radtke and won by third-round TKO, finishing with a spinning wheel kick at 2:54 of Round 3.

What is next for Gane and Hokit?
No rematch has been announced, but the closeness of the 48-47 decision and the record-setting fight make a second meeting the most likely next step for the heavyweight title.

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