The UFC has settled its heavyweight championship picture and built a major Madison Square Garden card around the decision.
Ciryl Gane will defend the undisputed heavyweight title against unbeaten challenger Josh Hokit in the UFC 334 main event on November 14 in New York City. Kayla Harrison will defend the women's bantamweight title against returning former champion Amanda Nunes in the co main event.
The promotion announced both title fights during the UFC 331 broadcast Saturday night and confirmed the lineup on its official website.
Gane now has an opponent
The announcement changes the direction of the heavyweight division only days after UFC chief executive Dana White said Gane would need to fight for the vacant championship. The UFC has now elevated Gane from interim champion to undisputed champion and booked his first defense against Hokit.
Tom Aspinall vacated the title because of continuing complications from serious eye injuries. His October 2025 fight with Gane ended as a no contest after eye pokes left Aspinall unable to continue. Aspinall has said he is not retiring and hopes to compete again if he receives medical clearance.
Gane earned the interim belt by defeating Alex Pereira in June. He now enters UFC 334 as France's first undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.
Hokit brings a 10 and 0 professional record into the biggest opportunity of his career. The former football player has won four UFC fights and accelerated his rise with victories over Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes. His power and athleticism make him dangerous, but Gane's movement and high level striking present the most difficult technical test Hokit has faced.
Harrison and Nunes finally meet
The second title fight may carry even more historical weight. Harrison will make her first defense of the women's bantamweight championship against Nunes, a former champion in two divisions and one of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts history.
The matchup was originally scheduled for UFC 324 in January. Harrison withdrew after undergoing neck surgery, delaying Nunes' return from retirement.
Their history adds another layer. Harrison and Nunes previously trained together at American Top Team, and both have spent years at the center of debates about the best women's fighter in the world.
Harrison won the UFC title by submitting Julianna Peña in June 2025. Nunes has not competed since defeating Irene Aldana in June 2023, but her championship résumé and victories across two divisions make her return immediately significant.
A major night at Madison Square Garden
UFC 334 gives New York two championship fights with completely different questions. Gane must prove that his promotion to undisputed champion leads to a stable heavyweight reign. Hokit must show that his rapid rise can survive an elite opponent.
Harrison must demonstrate that she is fully recovered and ready for the most important defense of her career. Nunes must prove that more than three years away have not taken away the skills that made her dominant.
The answers arrive November 14 at Madison Square Garden.
_Photo: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brittany Primavera, via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain._