B/R Staff Predictions for UFC 334 Main Card

It's that time of year again.

This Saturday, the UFC will make it's annual November stop in New York City, and there is a ton of high-quality MMA to look forward to.

In the main event, Ciryl Gane will attempt to defend the heavyweight title against trash-talking challenger Josh Hokit. It's a very interesting style clash on paper, and it should bring some order to the heavyweight division, which has been in shambles for years, most recently because Tom Aspinall was forced to abdicate the throne after suffering career-threatening eye injuries in a fight with Gane.

There will also be gold up for grabs in the co-main event, as women's bantamweight champ Kayla Harrison takes on the returning Amanda Nunes, who is almost inarguably the best female fighter in MMA history.

Earlier on the card, we'll get an interesting middleweight matchup between Caio Borralho and Yousri Belgaroui, and a high-stakes welterweight scrap between entertaining gatekeeper Kevin Holland and red-hot contender Uros Medic. The main card opener, meanwhile, will see Bilal Hasan attempt to take another step up the flyweight rankings against Luis Gurule.

Here's how the B/R combat sports squad sees it all going down inside Madison Square Garden.

Heavyweight Title Bout: Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit

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Nick Akerman: Josh Hokit is obviously a very dangerous fighter, but his express run to a UFC heavyweight title shot will be thoroughly examined when he gets into the Octagon with Ciryl Gane. 

Hokit's win over Curtis Blaydes was impressive, those guys absolutely went for it, but I don't think beating Derrick Lewis, Denzel Freeman and Max Gimenis is enough to put him into this position. Blaydes is nowhere near Gane's level.

The Frenchman is massive, a scary striker and an all-round better athlete than Hokit. He looked great against Tom Aspinall before the eye poke, then walked through Alex Pereira. I think he's going to break Hokit down across multiple rounds, and put him through hell, before getting a highlight win against a fighter who probably needs to be taken down a peg or two.

Prediction: Gane by TKO, Rd. 3.

Tom Taylor: This is a bit of a tough fight to call, mainly because I'm still not totally sold on Gane, even after his recent knockout of Alex Pereira. I just can't erase the memory of him getting absolutely wiped out by Jon Jones a few years back.

That said, I'm even less sold on Hokit, who has looked good against two veteran contenders in Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis, but has more or less talked his way into this title opportunity.

For that reason, I've got to side with Gane in this one. Hokit's wrestling and pace could make things interesting, but I think the champ is clever enough to break his challenger down over a few rounds and ultimately finish him. One variable to keep an eye on is whether he loses points for the fouls he lands in nearly every fight—refs finally seem to be cracking down on this stuff—but I don't see that being a huge factor, especially if he gets a finish.

Prediction: Gane by TKO, Rd. 3

Adam Kramer: Can Hokit take Gane to the ground? And if so, how fast? This fascinating fight isn't that easy to assess, but it feels that way in many respects.

For all of Hokit's antics and theatrics, his fighting style is straightforward and really difficult to deal with at the heavyweight level. His elite wrestling skills have been on display since he made a name for himself on the Contender Series.

But his gas tank, in many respects, is the coal that powers the engine. It's not just the way he takes opponents down; it's his ability to relentlessly overwhelm opponents. And the fact that he was able to power through his fight against Curtis Blades despite taking and giving so many shots is eye opening.

Yes, Gane will make things tough. He's bigger, taller and has an enormous reach advantage. He's also a very tactical fighter despite his size, something we saw against both Tom Aspinall and Alex Pereira.

He is more dangerous and more powerful. Simple as that. And if he connects against Hokit, look out. But the wrestling and pressure and gas tank are enormous variables, especially if and when we get to later rounds.

Hokit finds a way to win, and the microphone work that follows will unquestionably be off the rails.

Prediction: Hokit by unanimous decision

Women's Bantamweight Title Bout: Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes

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Nick Akerman: Gah, this is one of those fights that we've probably waited too long for. Amanda Nunes is three-years post retirement. Kayla Harrison is 10 months post neck surgery. It's an incredibly hard bout to call, even if I think Nunes would have walked it back in her prime.

Harrison has never been hit by someone with Nunes' power. I think she's capable of taking Nunes down and establishing control—that strength isn't to be underestimated—but I'm not sure she's got enough to get a finish. 

It's always incredibly difficult to know what a returning fighter will look like, but a motivated Nunes is still as dangerous as anyone out there and should have enough to overcome an excellent opponent.

Prediction: Nunes by unanimous decision.

Tom Taylor: This is another really tough fight to call, simply because there are so many variables at play. As Nick said, Harrison is returning from a difficult surgery, and Nunes is returning from a three-year retirement. Because of that, it's really difficult to say how either woman will look in the Octagon.

Still, I'm going to go with Nunes. The simplest explanation is that she is the best female fighter in MMA history—far greater than Harrison, who is phenomenal in her own right. However, I'm also thinking about Harrison's lone MMA loss to Larissa Pachecho, who is kind of a less refined, less versatile version of Nunes. If Nunes is anywhere near top form, she should be able to win this one. She'll probably have to get back to her feet a few times, but eventually, she'll start landing with consequence, and the finish won't be far off from there.

Prediction: Nunes by TKO, Rd. 3

Adam Kramer: There are some unique elements to consider in this fight, and we won't know exactly how each plays out until sometime late Saturday evening. Harrison is coming off surgery that sidelined her for an extended period; Nunes is coming back after years away from the sport.

The oddsmakers believe Harrison will have the easier transition back, and perhaps that makes sense. Still, she hasn't fought since June of 2025, which is to say she's not exactly coming into this one into form, either.

Despite the extended time away, Nunes is still the greatest female force in MMA history. While she will undoubtedly have to deal with Harrison's takedown attempts, she'll also present the toughest challenge Harrison has ever faced.

Again, lots of questions. If in doubt, however, we go with the G.O.A.T.

Prediction: Nunes by unanimous decision

Middleweight Bout: Caio Borralho vs. Yousri Belgaroui

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Nick Akerman: It's skill check time for Yousri Belgaroui. 

The giant kickboxer heads into this one on a heater, with four-straight knockouts against lowly opposition. Caio Borralho is a step up in competition; he's well-rounded, has overcome a decent range of foes and has the speed and power combination to put Belgaroui in danger.

Although Belgaroui is likely the underdog, his skillset could expose Borralho a little bit. The Brazilian sometimes appears to second guess when he should press on, relying on single shots, which may leave an opening for Belgaroui to do what he does best. I think there's a potential shock waiting for us.

Prediction: Belgaroui by TKO, Rd. 3.

Tom Taylor: It's been fun watching Yousri Belgarou get established in the UFC middleweight division, but this seems like a gargantuan step up for him. While he's clearly more technical than Caio Borralho in the striking department, he will be sharing the cage with a fighter who boasts plenty of firepower, and more importantly, a great grappling game.

So long as Borralho keeps his ego in check and relies on his clear grappling advantage, I see no reason why he can't win this one comfortably over three rounds.

Prediction: Borralho by unanimous decision

Adam Kramer: While the main and co-main are supremely enticing, don't sleep on this one. Neither fighter has lost more than three fights, and Belgaroui has ended his last four fights early.

Belgaroui, of course, will put his kickboxing prowess to the test against a huge leap up in competition. As such, expect Borralho to try to make this fight ugly. He would be wise to clinch or even bring this fight to the mat, if he can.

Getting to that point, of course, won't be easy. Belgaroui will have a massive height and reach advantage, which should serve him well here.

While the grappling is worrying—as is Borralho's seasoning—this will be a test for both fighters. And although Belgaroui is about to be tested in a way he hasn't before, we wouldn't be shocked if he passes it emphatically.

Prediction: Belgaroui by TKO, Rd. 3.

Welterweight Bout: Uros Medic vs. Kevin Holland

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Nick Akerman: I'm as surprised as the next person that Uros Medic is sitting on a four-fight winning streak in the UFC, all by knockout. He has proven devastating in the pocket recently, so Kevin Holland should make for an interesting match-up.

Holland can't afford to head into the Octagon with the slightly lazy, slightly languished style we've often seen from him. Medic is likely to push the pace and close distance as quickly as possible. 

As we saw against Geoff Neal, he barely needs an opening to launch one shot that will end the fight. I think Holland knows point-scoring might be too dangerous, and I can see him taking it to the ground to squeeze out control.

Prediction: Holland by unanimous decision.

Tom Taylor: This is such a weird matchup. After four straight KO wins, Uros Medic obviously deserves somebody higher ranked than Kevin Holland, who has been extremely inconsistent in the Octagon. At the same time, I don't think he will pass this test.

Holland has everything he needs to mount the upset in this matchup. He's got the range to keep himself away from Medic's surprising power, the chin to withstand the shots he can't avoid, and most importantly, an underrated grappling game that will help him dictate where the fight occurs.

I'm not discounting another Medic KO—he's been proving me wrong a lot lately—but I think his run ends here. Holland gets him down, and eventually, locks up a submission.

Prediction: Holland by submission. Rd. 2

Adam Kramer: The more dangerous fighter of late has been Medić, who has finished four opponents since January of 2025. His most recent fight against Daniel Rodriguez lasted a grand total of 30 seconds, and his last four wins have taken less than four minutes overall.

It's impressive to say the least. It also might be a bit worrisome. He hasn't seen a second round since November of 2023. Needless to say, it's been a minute.

Holland has largely been a magician at avoiding big shots, and his staggering 10-inch reach advantage should pay huge dividends. I would also expect we see plenty of clinching and maybe even takedowns from Holland, who has built such a robust arsenal of skills for fights like these.

Holland should threaten a submission or two (or more) and keep Medić on his toes.

Prediction: Holland by unanimous decision

Flyweight Bout: Bilal Hasan vs. Luis Gurule

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Nick Akerman: Bilal Hasan is going to be an extremely entertaining addition to the UFC - whichever way his fights go. 

He was super loose in his win against Nilson Rojas, where he handed out punishment while taking a lot back before landing a beautiful second-round knockout. I'm not sure Luis Gurule will push him as much. 

Hasan is the taller man, possesses a huge reach advantage, and should be able to get a similar result against an opponent who has one win in five since receiving the call up from Dana White's Contender Series.

Prediction: Hasan by TKO, Rd. 2.

Tom Taylor: The UFC clearly sees some star potential in Bilal Hasan, which explains why they have given him such a winnable matchup in the main card opener of such a huge event. He's being set up to extend his highlight reel, and continue his march toward the top of the flyweight division, which is arguably better than it's ever been before.

We've seen guys in Hasan's spot come up short before, but this really does feel like a layup for him. He's going to have a lot of physical advantages, he's clearly the harder hitter, and his opponent has made a habit of losing in the Octagon.

Hasan stays unbeaten with another slick stoppage on the feet.

Prediction: Hasan by TKO, Rd. 1

Adam Kramer: While most of the fights on the card feature tight fight odds and underdog potential, this doesn't feel like one of those fights.

Hasan is being fast-tracked by the UFC, which explains why such an enormous favorite is opening up the main card. He's 10-0, and nine of those wins have come via finish. He's still just 25-years-old, although a lack of experience shouldn't slow him down.

Gurule, meanwhile, has lost four of his last five fights. He's smaller, has a significant reach disadvantage and severely outclassed. Perhaps his experience helps, although it just doesn't feel that way.

Look for Hasan to make an impression.

The Pick: Hasan by TKO, Rd. 1