Joselyne Edwards named backup for Kayla Harrison vs Amanda Nunes at UFC 334

Joselyne Edwards will serve as the backup fighter for the UFC women's bantamweight title fight between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes at UFC 334 on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York, MMA Fighting reported on Wednesday, citing multiple people with knowledge of the situation. Edwards will weigh in for the 135-pound championship bout as a plan B in case either fighter drops out during fight week.

Why a backup matters for this fight

Harrison vs Nunes has already been delayed once. The bout was originally scheduled for the first UFC card of 2026 in January, but it was postponed by about 10 months after Harrison needed surgery for a neck injury. Nunes, the former two-division UFC champion who came out of retirement to face her former teammate, chose to wait for Harrison's recovery rather than take a different opponent for an interim title.

With a fight that has already been pushed back and a champion returning from neck surgery, the UFC has opted to have a ready replacement on weight in New York.

Edwards' recent run

According to MMA Fighting, Edwards earned the role on the back of a five-fight winning streak in the UFC dating back to late 2024. She finished four of those opponents, two of them in the first round, before taking a decision win over Norma Dumont in her most recent outing.

If Harrison or Nunes withdraws in the final days before the event, Edwards would be in line to step in and fight for the bantamweight title on short notice.

The rest of UFC 334

Harrison vs Nunes is the co-main event of UFC 334, which streams on Paramount+. The card is headlined by Ciryl Gane vs Josh Hokit for the undisputed UFC heavyweight championship.

The UFC has not officially announced Edwards' role; the information comes from MMA Fighting's reporting by Guilherme Cruz, with Damon Martin contributing.