nigeriasport.ng

UFC 334 Preview: Gane Defends Heavyweight Title Against Hokit, Harrison Battles Nunes

Ciryl Gane is set to defend his heavyweight title against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 in New York this Saturday. Meanwhile, Kayla Harrison will put her women's bantamweight championship on the line versus UFC legend Amanda Nunes.

Event Details and Timing

The main card begins at 02:00 GMT, with the headline fight between Gane and Hokit expected around 04:30 GMT on Sunday. Prelims start at midnight (00:00 GMT).

  • Main Card (from 02:00 GMT):
  • Ciryl Gane vs Josh Hokit (Heavyweight title)
  • Kayla Harrison vs Amanda Nunes (Women’s bantamweight title)
  • Caio Borralho vs Yousri Belgaroui (Middleweight)
  • Uros Medic vs Kevin Holland (Welterweight)
  • Bilal Hasan vs Luis Gurule (Flyweight)
  • Stephen Thompson vs Charles Radtke (Welterweight)
  • Drew Dober vs Chris Duncan (Lightweight)
  • Jim Miller vs Terrance McKinney (Lightweight)
  • Donte Johnson vs Cesar Almeida (Middleweight)

Gane vs Hokit Breakdown

Ciryl Gane claimed the interim heavyweight title after beating Alex Pereira at the UFC White House event in June. He was upgraded to undisputed champion in September when Tom Aspinall vacated the belt due to an eye injury. This marks Gane’s first defense of the undisputed title after previous failed attempts against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

Gane has competed since 2018, winning 14 out of 17 fights with seven knockouts.

Josh Hokit, ranked fifth in the heavyweight division, is fighting for the title after just one year in the UFC. The 28-year-old American made his UFC debut last November and remains undefeated in four fights, including a win over Derrick Lewis in June.

Hokit is known for provocative interviews, sometimes crossing lines with controversial remarks that have drawn criticism, including racist and misogynistic comments. UFC president Dana White called some of his statements "gross" and "inappropriate." Hokit entered MMA in 2023 and holds a perfect 10-0 record with six knockouts.

Gane is favored to keep the heavyweight belt.

Harrison vs Nunes Insight

Amanda Nunes, widely considered the best female MMA fighter ever, returns after retiring in 2023. She held both featherweight and bantamweight titles simultaneously, a unique achievement in UFC history. Nunes ended her career with 23 wins in 28 fights, 13 by knockout.

Kayla Harrison took the bantamweight title from Julianna Pena last year and is defending it for the first time. A former two-time PFL lightweight champion, Harrison won gold in the UFC during just her third fight. Her record stands at 19 wins and 1 loss, with the only defeat coming in 2022.

Nunes holds UFC bantamweight records for most wins (13), finishes (8), and longest win streak (9). Harrison is the favorite to retain her title in what many call one of the biggest women’s fights in UFC history.

Related Articles