Kayla Harrison has retained her Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight title with a fourth-round submission win over one of the mixed martial arts (MMA) all-time greats, Amanda Nunes, in the United States.
asserted
Harrison → retain → States
The American fighter leveraged her tremendous grappling skills and thwarted her opponent’s attempt to take the belt back in the main event of UFC 334 at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
asserted
fighter → leverage → Saturday
A two-time Olympic judo champion, the 36-year-old Harrison was facing arguably the greatest female fighter of all time in Nunes, a dominant two-weight champion at bantamweight and featherweight before she stepped away from the sport in June 2023.
asserted
she → face → June
But the Brazilian could not shake off the rust from her long absence as she let the fight slip away from her.
uncertain
fight → shake → her
Nunes did well initially, looking crisp in her striking and avoiding some early takedown attempts, but she eventually succumbed to Harrison’s grappling attack, spending much of the latter part of the opening two rounds on the bottom in a scarf-hold position from which she struggled to escape.
asserted
she → do → which
Emboldened by her success, Harrison displayed the full range of her judo skills with perfectly timed trips and tosses and vice-like ground control.
asserted
Harrison → embolden → trips
In the fourth round, she chased Nunes down to the mat, jumping on her back and quickly sinking in a rear-naked choke that forced the 38-year-old to submit.
asserted
that → chase → old
“I think I’m still in shock,” said Harrison, who had surgery on herniated disks in her neck in January.
asserted
who → think → January
“It feels surreal.
asserted
It → feel → ?
Sometimes I can’t believe my life.
asserted
I → believe → life
I’m just really grateful, I’m humbled, it’s an honour and a privilege to stand before you,” she said, addressing her opponent.
asserted
she → ’m → opponent
Harrison (20 wins, one defeat) admitted she was not sure what was next for her but took a moment to acknowledge the audience.
asserted
what → admit → audience
“New York City, I love you,” she exclaimed after the fight.
asserted
she → love → fight
Nunes (23 wins, six defeats) took her gloves off but did not make herself available for a post-fight interview.
asserted
herself → take → interview
Meanwhile, Ciryl Gane of France defeated American Josh Hokit by unanimous decision to retain the heavyweight title after a bruising five-round battle fought at a frenetic pace.
asserted
Gane → defeat → pace
Gane successfully defended his title for the first time, sweeping the scorecards 48-47, 48-47, 48-47 against Hokit.
asserted
Gane → defend → Hokit
The first round saw Gane (15 wins, two defeats) get up quickly from an early takedown by Hokit (10 wins, one defeat), then land a few sharp jabs, uppercuts and an overhand right as he countered Hokit’s forward pressure.
asserted
he → see → pressure
Hokit did, however, close the round with a slam with about 30 seconds remaining.
asserted
Hokit → close → seconds
Hokit came back in the second round.
asserted
Hokit → come → round
After Gane stuffed an early single-leg attempt, Hokit pushed forward with determination, trading heavy right hands and clinching along the fence in a very physical exchange.
asserted
Hokit → stuff → exchange
Hokit carried that momentum into the third round with a scramble takedown, then worked Gane over with several clinch elbows and foot stamps before flashing him the middle finger at the bell.
asserted
Hokit → carry → bell
As Hokit’s punches began to fade in the fourth round, Gane took control, countering the challenger’s fence clinches with several body kicks, knees to the midsection and short, dirty-boxing uppercuts.
asserted
Gane → begin → midsection
in the fifth round, Gane stuffed Hokit’s takedown attempts and opened a cut just above his left eye, then dominated the striking with jabs, body shots and multi-punch combinations through the end of the round.
asserted
Gane → stuff → round
Gane kept things simple after the fight, as did the typically brash Hokit.
asserted
Hokit → keep → fight
“It was an amazing fight,” Gane said.
asserted
Gane → say → ?
Hokit said he would enjoy the moment, even if he was on the receiving end.
asserted
he → say → end
“Resilience builds character,” Hokit said.
asserted
Hokit → build → character
The Aporia
