Joselyne Edwards confirmed on social media she is backup for Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes at UFC 334 on Nov. 14, and Gane faces Hokit in the heavyweight title fight.
From 31 reports by 18 outletsLatest Edwards confirms on social media she is backup for Harrison vs. Nunes at UFC 334 6 updates 18 outlets
What we know
- Harrison vs. Nunes was postponed from UFC 324 in January after Harrison needed neck surgery; Nunes declined an interim title fight and waited.
- UFC Brasil confirmed Costa vs. Gordon, Johnson vs. Almeida and Elder vs. Sanches for UFC 334.
- Gane vs. Hokit is Gane's first defense of the undisputed heavyweight title, at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 14.
- Hokit posted a gym video in which he and a training partner sprayed each other in the eyes with pepper spray they believed was fake, less than two weeks before the Gane fight.
- Joselyne Edwards will travel to UFC 334 as backup for Harrison vs. Nunes and must make the official weigh-in; she confirmed it on social media and the UFC has not announced it.
Reported, not confirmed
- Edwards has missed weight in three of her nine bantamweight fights in the UFC and would need to make 135 pounds with no allowance. MMA Mania
- Drew Dober vs. Chris Duncan is listed for UFC 334. Knockout Daily
Disputed
- Sources disagree on the date of Edwards' weigh-in: some say Nov. 12 for the event, others Nov. 14. MMA Fighting
A title fight that waited ten months now has insurance. According to MMA Fighting, Joselyne Edwards will weigh in as the backup for Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes, ready to step in if either woman drops out. The UFC has not announced it. Nine outlets ran it as a headline, and it was the main thing fans talked about this week.
The pick is not without questions. Edwards is on a five-fight UFC win streak, with four finishes and a decision over Norma Dumont in April, and she is ranked No. 1 at bantamweight. But she has missed weight three times in nine bantamweight fights, and she would need to make 135 pounds exactly. Bloody Elbow and Cageside Press both noted that Ailin Perez, who beat Edwards in 2024, had targeted the spot and has her own winning run.
The backup matters because of how long this fight took. Harrison vs. Nunes was set for UFC 324 in January until Harrison needed neck surgery. Nunes, 38, came out of retirement for this fight alone and turned down an interim title bout rather than fight someone else. The two used to train together at American Top Team. Nunes has said she will defend the belt if she regains it, while Harrison has floated retirement if she wins, according to Knockout Daily.
Above them, Ciryl Gane makes his first defense against Josh Hokit. Hokit, 28, is a former American football player and college wrestler, and his camp plans to take Gane down and keep him there. Gane, 36, has a 6'5" frame and an 81-inch reach, and prefers to keep fights moving.
The undercard is filling in. UFC Brasil confirmed Melquizael Costa vs. Jared Gordon at lightweight, Donte Johnson vs. Cesar Almeida at middleweight, and Evan Elder vs. Samuel Sanches at lightweight. Yousri Belgaroui meets Caio Borralho, and Knockout Daily lists Drew Dober against Chris Duncan.
Watch for an official UFC word on Edwards, and for whether she makes weight on the Thursday before the card, the day before the fights.
The pick is not without questions. Edwards is on a five-fight UFC win streak, with four finishes and a decision over Norma Dumont in April, and she is ranked No. 1 at bantamweight. But she has missed weight three times in nine bantamweight fights, and she would need to make 135 pounds exactly. Bloody Elbow and Cageside Press both noted that Ailin Perez, who beat Edwards in 2024, had targeted the spot and has her own winning run.
The backup matters because of how long this fight took. Harrison vs. Nunes was set for UFC 324 in January until Harrison needed neck surgery. Nunes, 38, came out of retirement for this fight alone and turned down an interim title bout rather than fight someone else. The two used to train together at American Top Team. Nunes has said she will defend the belt if she regains it, while Harrison has floated retirement if she wins, according to Knockout Daily.
Above them, Ciryl Gane makes his first defense against Josh Hokit. Hokit, 28, is a former American football player and college wrestler, and his camp plans to take Gane down and keep him there. Gane, 36, has a 6'5" frame and an 81-inch reach, and prefers to keep fights moving.
The undercard is filling in. UFC Brasil confirmed Melquizael Costa vs. Jared Gordon at lightweight, Donte Johnson vs. Cesar Almeida at middleweight, and Evan Elder vs. Samuel Sanches at lightweight. Yousri Belgaroui meets Caio Borralho, and Knockout Daily lists Drew Dober against Chris Duncan.
Watch for an official UFC word on Edwards, and for whether she makes weight on the Thursday before the card, the day before the fights.
- Summary
- Joselyne Edwards confirmed on social media she is backup for Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes at UFC 334 on Nov. 14, and Gane faces Hokit in the heavyweight title fight.
- Key points (one per line)
- Edwards confirmed on social media that she is backup for Harrison vs. Nunes; the UFC has not announced it
She will travel to New York and must make the official weigh-in to be able to replace either woman
UFC 334 on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden has Gane vs. Hokit; Costa-Gordon, Johnson-Almeida and Elder-Sanches are confirmed
Hokit posted a video of a pepper-spray mishap in the gym
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- ActuMMA | https://www.actumma.com/le-clan-de-josh-hokit-devoile-sa-strategie-pour-battre-ciryl-gane-a-lufc-334/194065/
La Sueur | https://lasueur.com/josh-hokit-balance-son-plan-pour-vaincre-ciryl-gane-24-10-2026
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/amanda-nunes-says-kayla-harrison-still-hasnt-fixed-the-holes-she-found-in-sparring
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/the-man-who-beat-alex-pereira-in-kickboxing-now-gets-caio-borralho-at-msg
La Sueur | https://lasueur.com/ufc-334-avec-ciryl-gane-3-nouvelles-affiches-officialisees-26-10-2026
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/drew-dober-met-his-father-at-18-and-built-the-ufcs-lightweight-knockout-record
MiddleEasy | https://middleeasy.com/mma-news/evan-elder-samuel-sanches-ufc334-november14/
MiddleEasy | https://middleeasy.com/mma-news/melquizael-costa-jared-gordon-lightweight-ufc334/
MMA Fighting | https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/518223/joselyne-edwards-to-serve-as-backup-fighter-for-kayla-harrison-vs-amanda-nunes-at-ufc-334
Sherdog | https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Joselyne-Edwards-reportedly-named-backup-for-HarrisonNunes-at-UFC-334-203405
Sherdog | https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Joselyne-Edwards-could-get-UFC-334-title-shot-as-backup-203405
MMA Mania | https://www.mmamania.com/ufc-news/482424/ufc-picks-joselyne-edwards-as-back-up-fighter-for-kayla-harrison-vs-amanda-nunes-at-madison-square-garden
Bloody Elbow | https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/10/29/kayla-harrison-vs-amanda-nunes-gets-official-backup-fighter-for-ufc-334-as-ailin-perez-misses-out/
Cageside Press | https://cagesidepress.com/2026/10/29/ufc-334-title-fight-gets-unexpected-back-up-fighter/
MMA News | https://www.mmanews.com/article/who-ufc-334-backup-fighter-kayla-harrison-vs-amanda-nunes
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/e62df234-d291-4d58-94a5-ee655b3e957f/joselyne-edwards-backup-fighter-kayla-harrison-amanda-nunes-ufc-334
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/kayla-harrison-vs-amanda-nunes-now-has-a-plan-b-and-shes-won-five-straight
Heavy on UFC | https://heavy.com/sports/ufc/ufc-334-title-fight-official-backup/
FightTime.ru | https://fighttime.ru/news/item/44542-nazvan-zapasnoj-uchastnik-titulnogo-boya-na-ufc-334-v-nyu-jorke.html
Pos-Luta | https://posluta.com/amanda-nunes-volta-da-aposentadoria-para-desafiar-kayla-harrison-pelo-cinturao-dos-galos-no-ufc-334/
MMA Knockout on Sports Illustrated | https://www.si.com/fannation/mma/news/ufc-334-backup-fighter-revealed-kayla-harrison-vs-amanda-nunes-title-fight
Fajador | https://fajador.com/es/la-panamena-jocelyn-edwards-sera-la-peleadora-reserva-del-combate-titular-entre-harrison-nunes-en-ufc-334/
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/amanda-nunes-passed-on-an-interim-belt-to-wait-for-kayla-harrison-and-now-msg-gets-it
Fajador | https://fajador.com/es/la-panamena-jocelyn-edwards-sera-la-peleadora-reserva-del-combate-titular-entre-kayla-harrison-y-amanda-nunes-en-ufc-334/
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/164d57be-3cee-4ad6-840a-910370a0b187/josh-hokit-pepper-sprayed-in-the-eyes-in-the-gym-after-thinking-the-spray-was-fake
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/josh-hokit-had-himself-pepper-sprayed-to-prep-for-ciryl-ganes-eye-pokes
La Sueur | https://lasueur.com/nouvelle-provocation-josh-hokit-ciryl-gane-avant-ufc-334-1-11-2026
ActuMMA | https://www.actumma.com/josh-hokit-provoque-ciryl-gane-avant-leur-combat-a-lufc-334/194417/
Ag. Fight | https://agfight.com/ufc/joselyne-edwards-e-escalada-como-reserva-de-kayla-harrison-vs-amanda-nunes-no-ufc-334/
Bloody Elbow | https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/11/01/watch-josh-hokit-get-pepper-sprayed-to-prepare-for-ciryl-ganes-eye-pokes-ahead-of-ufc-334/
Fight Site Croatia | https://www.jutarnji.hr/sportske/fightsite/ufc/josh-hokit-na-bizaran-i-ironican-nacin-ismijao-ciryla-ganea-treniram-sa-suzavcem-u-ocima-15761353
Last edited:
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Who wins Nunes vs. Harrison at UFC 334?
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What they're saying
Championship Rounds@ChampRDSIn the story
Josh Hokit is preparing for Ciryl Gane’s eye pokes by getting pepper sprayed 😭 “It actually f*cking burns. I thought this sh*t was fake.” (via @Josh_HokitUFC)
Nov 1 · View on X
Guilherme Cruz@guicruzzzIn the story
Joselyne Edwards will be the backup fighter for Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes at UFC 334, sources told myself and @DamonMartin
Oct 29 · View on X
UFC Brasil@UFCBrasilIn the story
Lutas confirmadas para #UFC334 🇧🇷🔥 Quem vai sair com a vitória no Octógono? Não perca! Dia 14 de novembro, ao vivo somente no @ParamountPlusBR.
Oct 25 · View on X
Ag. Fight@AgFightIn the story
🚨BREAKING: Melquizael 'Melk' Costa enfrenta Jared Gordon no UFC 334, no dia 14 de novembro, em Nova York, no peso-leve (70 kg).
Oct 1 · View on X
theincredible_hok@theincredible_hokIn the story
A post on Instagram
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joselyne_edwards@joselyne_edwardsIn the story
A post on Instagram
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Fighters in this story
Ciryl Gane
Josh Hokit
Amanda Nunes
Kayla Harrison
Joselyne Edwards
Cesar Almeida
Drew Dober
Yousri Belgaroui
Evan Elder
Donte Johnson
Jared Gordon
Melquizael Costa
Samuel Sanches
Cody East
Jon Jones
Tom AspinallMore photos
How the story developed
-
Edwards confirms on social media she is backup for Harrison vs. Nunes at UFC 334
Ag. Fight
-
Hokit posts video of being pepper-sprayed in the gym, thinking the spray was fake
Combat Sports UK
MMA Fighting
Knockout Daily
La SueurShow 1 earlier update
Sources
ActuMMA
MiddleEasy
Bloody Elbow
MMA Mania
Cageside Press
MMA News
Heavy on UFC
FightTime.ru
Pos-Luta
MMA Knockout on Sports Illustrated
Fight Site CroatiaSummarized with AI from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
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