UFC 334 Predictions: Gane vs Hokit and Harrison vs Nunes (November 14, 2026)

Josh Hokit needed just 53 weeks to go from making his UFC debut to challenging for the heavyweight title.

On November 14, the unbeaten American faces Ciryl Gane at Madison Square Garden, bringing an aggressive fighting style and a wrestling background that could expose the champion’s most obvious weakness.

The co-main event marks Amanda Nunes’ return after more than three years away from competition.

The former two-division champion challenges Kayla Harrison, whose first bantamweight title defence comes after a lengthy recovery from neck surgery.

UFC 334 date and start time: The event takes place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, in New York City.

Early prelims begin at 5 PM ET (10 PM GMT), prelims at 7 PM ET (12 AM GMT) and the main card at 9 PM ET (2 AM GMT on November 15).

The main event’s exact start time depends on the preceding fights.

Odds recorded on November 10, 2026, and subject to change.

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Ciryl Gane (14-2, 1 NC) became the interim heavyweight champion after stopping Alex Pereira by second-round TKO on June 14.

He was subsequently promoted to undisputed champion when Tom Aspinall vacated the title because of ongoing eye problems.

Hokit (10-0) competed on the same June card, stopping Derrick Lewis by TKO in the second round. Two months earlier, he had defeated experienced wrestler Curtis Blaydes by unanimous decision.

Those victories established Hokit as a legitimate contender, although neither opponent offered the same movement and distance control as Gane.

The Frenchman has a 7.5-inch reach advantage and absorbs considerably fewer significant strikes.

His UFC average stands at 2.31 significant strikes absorbed per minute, compared with Hokit’s 6.12 across four UFC fights.

Hokit is the more aggressive striker, landing 10.28 significant strikes per minute against Gane’s 5.40. However, his high output comes with defensive risks.

Against Blaydes, he landed 177 significant strikes but absorbed 174 in a three-round contest.

Gane’s biggest vulnerability remains his takedown defence, which stands at 47%.

Francis Ngannou exploited his wrestling weaknesses to secure a unanimous decision victory in January 2022, while Jon Jones submitted him after just 2:04 of their March 2023 title fight.

Hokit has an accomplished collegiate wrestling background, but his UFC record offers a more nuanced picture.

He averages 1.50 successful takedowns per 15 minutes across four UFC bouts and failed to complete a takedown against Blaydes.

The challenger therefore needs to demonstrate that he can consistently use his wrestling against a technically superior striker rather than relying primarily on pressure and exchanges.

If Hokit can trap Gane against the fence and maintain control, an upset is possible.

However, repeatedly closing the distance also exposes him to counters, particularly against an opponent who moves as efficiently as the champion.

Hokit has also never competed in a scheduled five-round UFC fight, leaving his ability to maintain that pressure over championship distance untested.

Gane to Win is the main-event selection. His reach, striking defence and experience should allow him to control more of the exchanges, provided he avoids prolonged grappling sequences.

Kayla Harrison (19-1) captured the women’s bantamweight championship in June 2025, submitting Julianna Peña with a kimura at 4:55 of the second round.

Amanda Nunes (23-5) last fought in June 2023, defeating Irene Aldana by unanimous decision after five rounds. Her previous victory over Peña in July 2022 also went the full championship distance.

Nunes has considerable experience in extended title fights, although returning to that level after more than three years presents a significant challenge.

Her historical UFC takedown defence rate of 82% is particularly relevant against Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo gold medallist.

If Nunes can defend the early takedown attempts and keep the fight standing, her boxing should create opportunities to score without spending extended periods defending submissions.

Nevertheless, Harrison represents an exceptional grappling challenge. She submitted both Holly Holm and Peña in the second round of their respective UFC meetings, demonstrating how quickly she can turn positional control into a finish.

Nunes has also been vulnerable on the ground before, having suffered a second-round submission defeat to Peña in December 2021.

The fighters’ current condition adds further uncertainty. Harrison underwent serious neck surgery in January 2026, forcing the postponement of their original UFC 324 meeting.

She has since returned to full training but has not competed since June 2025.

Nunes, meanwhile, must rediscover her timing and conditioning after a prolonged absence.

Over 2.5 Rounds requires the fight to continue beyond 2:30 of the third round, rather than reach the judges’ scorecards.

Nunes’ previous five-round performances and takedown defence support the possibility of a longer fight.

The main danger is Harrison securing an early submission, especially if Nunes struggles to defend against her physical pressure.