Kayla Harrison appeared to be running out of gas. Her movements had slowed, exhaustion was beginning to show, and Amanda Nunes looked increasingly capable of reclaiming the UFC women’s bantamweight championship. Then, in a matter of seconds, everything changed.
Harrison caught a kick from Nunes, disrupted her balance and immediately attacked her back. The reigning champion secured a rear-naked choke, forcing the former two-division champion to tap at 1:29 of the fourth round.
Just like that, Harrison had successfully defended her UFC women’s bantamweight title against the fighter widely regarded as the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time.
Harrison improved to 20-1 in her professional MMA career and 4-0 inside the UFC, while Nunes fell to 23-6 overall and 16-3 in the promotion. For Harrison, the victory was particularly significant after nearly 18 months away from competition following neck surgery and rehabilitation.
For Nunes, who returned after three and a half years in retirement, the defeat marked a disappointing conclusion to an anticipated championship comeback.
Nunes Comes Out Aggressive in Opening Round
From the opening moments, Nunes demonstrated why she had dominated women’s mixed martial arts for years. The former bantamweight and featherweight champion attacked Harrison with powerful punches, repeatedly finding openings during their early exchanges.
Approximately 100 seconds into the contest, Nunes connected with several clean strikes, forcing Harrison to seek opportunities in the clinch. However, Nunes initially defended those attempts and continued landing punches as the fighters separated.
Her pressure appeared to frustrate Harrison, who struggled to establish a consistent offensive rhythm on the feet. Midway through the opening round, Harrison threatened with a takedown, but Nunes defended and returned to the center of the Octagon.
The momentum shifted late in the round when Harrison connected with a left hand and managed to bring Nunes to the canvas. Although Nunes initially reversed the position, Harrison regained control, trapped her opponent’s right arm and began delivering short punches.
Harrison also threatened with an Americana submission, forcing Nunes to defend until the end of the round. Despite Nunes’ early striking success, Harrison had demonstrated that her grappling could change the direction of the fight at any moment.
Harrison and Nunes Exchange Takedowns
The second round featured an intriguing battle between two accomplished grapplers. Nunes surprised Harrison by initiating wrestling exchanges and eventually securing a takedown midway through the round.
It marked the first time Harrison had been taken down during her UFC career. For Nunes, the achievement demonstrated that she could challenge the former Olympic judo gold medalist in an area traditionally considered Harrison’s greatest strength.
However, Harrison responded with another takedown of her own. With approximately two minutes remaining, Harrison brought Nunes to the canvas and established side control.
From there, the champion delivered short ground-and-pound strikes while searching for potential submission opportunities. The exchanges illustrated how evenly matched the fighters were in certain phases of the contest.
Nunes possessed the striking experience and championship pedigree, but Harrison’s physical strength and grappling technique continued to create dangerous situations.
One Mistake Changes Everything
Entering the fourth round, Harrison appeared to be approaching her physical limits. After nearly three full rounds of striking exchanges, clinch battles and demanding grappling sequences, the champion looked exhausted.
Nunes had enjoyed several successful moments throughout the fight and appeared capable of continuing to pressure Harrison. But one mistake proved costly. When Nunes threw a kick, Harrison caught it and immediately recognized an opportunity.
The champion knocked Nunes off balance, moved behind her and attacked her back. Within moments, Harrison secured a rear-naked choke. Nunes attempted to defend, but Harrison’s grip was too tight.
At 1:29 of the fourth round, the former two-division champion tapped, ending the fight in dramatic fashion. The finish demonstrated Harrison’s ability to capitalize on a brief opening, even after enduring one of the most physically demanding contests of her career.
Kayla Harrison Solidifies Her Championship Legacy
For Harrison, the victory represents a defining accomplishment. The former Olympic judo champion entered mixed martial arts with enormous expectations because of her international grappling success.
Since transitioning to the UFC, she has continued proving that her abilities translate against the sport’s highest level of competition. Submitting Nunes adds another significant achievement to her résumé.
More importantly, the victory came in a fight where Harrison was forced to overcome difficult moments. She absorbed punches, surrendered takedowns and battled visible exhaustion.
Yet when Nunes provided an opening, Harrison needed only seconds to end the contest. For three rounds, Amanda Nunes showed why she is considered one of the greatest fighters in women’s MMA history.
But in the fourth, Kayla Harrison showed why she is the UFC women’s bantamweight champion. One caught kick. One transition to the back. One rear-naked choke. Just like that, Harrison turned what appeared to be a fight slipping away into the biggest submission victory of her UFC career.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
