“The Lioness” has been updated.
Former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion and consensus “GOAT” of women’s mixed martial arts (MMA) Amanda Nunes returns to challenge a former teammate Kayla Harrison for the Bantamweight title UFC 334 main event this weekend (Saturday, November 14, 2026) at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden.
Several factors contributed to the decision.
The 38-year-old Brazilian also desperately needed to rest her mind.
“I feel great. I’m really excited to be back,” Nunes told UFC.com. “I missed it. I missed everything about MMA. It’s been in my life since I was a teenager. When I got out, I needed a break because I was literally on a roll and fighting for so long — defending belts in two divisions and I didn’t stop. I was burned out.”
Continuing to fight mentally exhausted, Nunes felt, could have jeopardized both his legacy and his love for the sport.
“I didn’t want to push myself at the time and I was in danger of losing because I wasn’t happy with what I love to do,” Nunes added. “So when I retired, I needed a break. I needed a reset and I needed a clear mind. I needed a break so my body could lose weight too.”
“But when I got the break I needed, it got boring,” Nunes continued. “I got bored at home. My daughter got bored and my little one couldn’t see everything.”
It just so happened that Harrison eventually made it to the UFC during Nunes’ retirement and quickly captured the championship of his former American Top Team training partner.
Harrison’s rise gave Nunes the perfect challenge and plenty of motivation to come back.
Now, barring another last-minute cancellation, Nunes will finally get a chance to lay hands on Harrison and try to become the first three-time UFC women’s bantamweight champion.
More importantly, he enters the Octagon with a clear mind and a renewed enthusiasm that he lacked when he left three years ago.
Be sure to check out our comprehensive event archive for the latest and greatest UFC 334 news and notes. here.
