UFC 334 Predictions

This Saturday, UFC has their second to last numbered card of 2026, with UFC 334. The card is taking place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The main card begins with a flyweight bout between Bilal Hassan and Luis Gurule. Hassan is putting his undefeated 10-0-0 record on the line against Gurule, a very dangerous striker. Hassan is the odds on favorite to win by far, with -1100 odds to Gurule's +700. Even though this has been the year of upsets in the UFC, I agree with the Vegas odds and have Hassan knocking out Gurule in the second round.

Then, a ranked Welterweight bout with #12 Uros Medic taking on #15 Kevin Holland. Two experienced fighters looking to keep their spot in the top 15. Medic and Holland are both coming off wins. Medic knocked out Daniel Rodriguez 30 seconds into their fight in August, and Holland defeating Randy Brown in a unanimous decision back in April. Neither fighter have been too active, but Holland hasn't fought in seven months. Give me Medic winning via submission in the first round. He isn't the best takedown artist, but Holland has a strong chin. If Medic wants a quick finish, the submission is the way to go.

The featured fight is Caio Borralho vs Yousri Belgaroui. Borralho is ranked 5th in Middleweight, taking on the unraked Belgaroui. Belgaroui is relatively new to the UFC, just having three fights and three wins total in the promotion (all three fights ended in knockout). He earned a contract fighting on Dana White's Contender Series, and is known for his elite kickboxing background. He has had difficulty booking ranked fights because other fighters view him as a high-risk, low reward fight, but Borralho agreed. Borralho is known for his IQ and technique, having a much more patient fighting style than most. He has a black belt in Brazilian Jui-Jitsu and Muay Thai. Borralho has had notable wins over Jared Cannonier and Reinier de Ridder. This will be a great fight, and is very hard to predict. I have Belgaroui in an upset, though I think it will go the distance. All of Borralho's fights have gone the distance since 2024, and he will be able to keep his distance enough from Belgaroui. However, I think Yousri will inflict damge to Borralho, and win in a split decision.

Into the co-main event, Kayla Harrison will take on Amanda Nunes in the Women's Bantamweight Title Bout. This fight was originally scheduled to take place in January, but Harrison had to undergo neck surgery. Harrison last fought in June 2025, where she beat Juliana Pena to capture the belt. Nunes, on the otherhand, is coming out of retirement. She hung up her gloves in June 2023, after defeating Irene Aldana. She is widely considered the GOAT of women's MMA, especially in the UFC. Harrison is 36 years old, and Nunes is 38. Both fighters have had extended delays from the octagon, coming off injuries. It will be interesting to see how that plays a factor in this one. Maybe its the nostalgia in me talking, but I can't believe that Nunes is the underdog in this one. I have Nunes getting a submission in the first two rounds, cementing her legacy as the greatest of all time.

Finally, we've reached the main event, for the Heavyweight Championship of the world. Ciryl Gane is taking on Josh Hokit for the Heavyweight title. Gane's last fight came at the White House card, defeating Alex Pereira via TKO. It was Pereira's first ever heavyweight fight. Gane was awarded the belt outside of the octagon, due to Tom Aspinall's eye injury (caused by Gane's eye poke last year) keeping him out for much longer than originally expected. Aspinall was forced to vacate the title, and it was awarded to Gane without even an Interim Bout. Fans online were not happy with Gane being given the belt. Fans were even more surprised to see that Josh Hokit is the one to challenge Gane for it. In Janurary, Hokit was fighting on the Early Prelims, and now he is the headliner of the MSG Card. Hokit's last fight was also at the White House, where he knocked out Derrick Lewis, dominating the legend throughout the fight. Hokit's fast rise has less to do with his success in the octagon, and much more to do with his, for lack of a better word, talent with a microphone in his hands. He made headlines for claiming that Michelle Obama is a man at the White House, and just last week released a diss track on Ciryl Gane, while also taking shots at Aspinall, Ilia Topuria, Alex Periera, Nina Drama, and more. He is 10-0-0, with many fans tuning in to his fights, whether they love him or hate him. He brings loads and loads of viewership to the UFC, which is one of the main reasons he was given this early title shot. It feels inevitable for Gane to win this, and put Hokit in his place. Gane has the size, height and weight advantage. He is much more experienced, and hits much harder. However, as I mentioned earlier, the UFC this year has been full of upsets. Gaethje beat Ilia. Strickland beat Khamzat. Sharaf beat Gable. Why can't Hokit add to that? Everything in my body tells me that Gane will win, but I can't shake the feeling that Hokit will catch Gane with one punch, sting him, and get the knockout win. Who knows what he will do or say as the Heavyweight Champion? God help us all.