The UFC’s heavyweight division is gaining clarity at last. During the UFC 331 broadcast, commentators Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier revealed the complete UFC 334 fight card, and it’s packed with excitement.
The headline event at Madison Square Garden this November will finally see the heavyweight title contested. Reigning undisputed champion Ciryl Gane is set to defend his belt against the rising star Josh Hokit.
Both fighters last appeared on the historic UFC White House event, where Gane captured the interim title by defeating Alex Pereira, and Hokit impressed by easily dispatching former title challenger Derrick Lewis. Remarkably, Hokit could become champion within just a year of his UFC debut.
This title matchup comes after Tom Aspinall had to relinquish the belt due to an unfortunate double eye-poke from Gane that led to multiple surgeries and vision problems.
Despite the tough circumstances, the heavyweight division needed to move forward, and this much-anticipated fight delivers. The show also features another major title clash as the co-main event.
Kayla Harrison will face Amanda Nunes at UFC 334, marking one of the biggest bouts in women’s MMA history. Harrison returns from a significant neck injury to defend her title against Nunes, widely regarded as the greatest female fighter of all time.
Nunes last competed in June 2023, successfully defending her bantamweight belt against Irene Aldana. She holds the record for the most title-fight wins by a woman (11), with 10 finishes, and remains the only female fighter to simultaneously hold two UFC titles.
This matchup has an added layer of intrigue as Harrison and Nunes were once teammates at American Top Team. Although they supported each other’s careers, questions lingered about who truly is the world’s best female fighter. After Nunes left ATT in 2022 following a loss to Julianna Peña and to avoid training conflicts with Harrison, the two best women in MMA are now set to collide at the sport’s most iconic venue.
The full UFC 334 card also includes a number of high-level fights:
- No. 6 Caio Borralho vs. Yousri Belgaroui (middleweight)
- No. 10 Uros Medic vs. Kevin Holland (welterweight)
- Bilan Hasan vs. Luis Gurule (flyweight)
- Stephen Thompson vs. Charles Radke (welterweight)
- Drew Dober vs. Chris Duncan (lightweight)
- Jim Miller vs. Terrance McKinney (lightweight)
- Donte Johnson vs. Baisangur Susurkaev (middleweight)
- No. 11 Bia Mesquita vs. No. 13 Mia Chiasson (women’s bantamweight)
- Adrian Yanez vs. Juan Diaz (bantamweight)
- Nazim Sadykhov vs. Jefferson Nascimento
Though the ranked fights lack some depth, there are plenty of exciting matchups that could provide fireworks. Caio Borralho aims to solidify his spot near the top of the middleweight division with a statement win over Belgaroui, and welterweight veteran Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson is set for a final bout after a respected career that included two title challenges. Meanwhile, Susurkaev, regarded as one of the UFC’s brightest rising talents, looks to make an impact regardless of weight class.
While the overall card may not be an A+ stacked lineup, the heavyweight title fight alone guarantees huge interest and stakes.
Fan Take: This UFC 334 card is a reminder of how pivotal moments in MMA can redefine divisions and careers. For fans, witnessing the rise of new champions and historic matchups like Harrison vs. Nunes underscores the evolving landscape of the sport and its endless potential for thrilling narratives.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
