UFC and Paramount+ are kicking off a new era with a bang. UFC 324, the first event under the Paramount+ partnership, will be held on January 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with a main event pitting Justin Gaethje against Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title.
Also, women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison will defend her title against Amanda Nunes with the female GOAT coming out of retirement for her first fight since 2023.
UFC CEO Dana White announced the card for the number-one event of 2026 during halftime of the Chiefs vs. Cowboys game on Thanksgiving.
The winner of the interim title fight between Gaethje and Pimblett is expected to earn a lightweight title unification bout with current champion Ilya Topuria at the end of the year.
There is no fighter more exciting than Gaethje. The former interim champion has earned an astonishing 14 post-fight bonuses in as many UFC appearances. Pimblett is no stranger to highlight-reel performances in the cage or on the microphone. He is undefeated in the UFC at 7-0 and earning five performance bonuses.
The co-main event sees the UFC’s greatest female athlete, Nunes – the all-time great regardless of gender – comes out of retirement for a title opportunity. The UFC Hall of Famer and former two-division champion returns after a two-and-a-half-year break to add another big name to her hit list, which already includes Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Valentina Shevchenko. Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, is 3-0 since joining the promotion last year.
“It begins Saturday, January 24, in Las Vegas Incredible partnership with Paramount,” White said in a press release. “I’m very excited for UFC fans that our first card features six current and former champions, including the long-awaited return of the greatest female fighter of all time in what is undoubtedly the greatest women’s fight ever.
“Also, in the main event, we have Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title to see who will face Ilya Topuria on Paramount+ later this year. This card is absolutely stacked – every fight is a must-see. This deal is such a huge win for the fans with no more pay-per-views. I expect 2026 to be our best year yet.”
An impressive main card promotes the UFC’s Paramount debut. Former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley begins his journey back into title contention against perennial contender Song Yadong.
Rising heavyweight contender Waldo Cortes Acosa fights for the sixth time in 10 months, this time against fan favorite Derrick Lewis. Cortes Acosta fought twice in November, both against lower-ranked contenders, before accepting another fight against an opponent behind him in the pecking order. Featherweight contender Arnold Allen returns after an 18-month layoff against knockout artist Gene Silva on the main card.
Shortly after his halftime announcement, White announced three preliminary bouts for UFC 324. Former UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso fought former Women’s Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas in a special preliminary. A high-profile bantamweight bout between top prospect Omar Nurmagomedov and former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Finally, middleweights Ateba Gautier and Andrey Pulayev meet.
The UFC 324 main card will begin at the new time of 9 PM ET. Preliminary Card and Preliminary Prelims will start at 7 PM and 5 PM respectively. You can stream the entire event at no additional cost with a Paramount+ subscription.
UFC 324 fight card
- Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett, Interim Lightweight Title
- Kayla Harrison (c) vs. Amanda Nunes, Women’s Bantamweight Title
- Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong, bantamweights
- Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis, Heavyweight
- Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva, featherweight
- Alexa Grasso vs. Rose Namajunas
- Omar Nurmagomedov vs Deiveson Figueiredo
- Ateba Gautier vs. Andrey Pulayev
ufc 325 announcement
White also announced a main event at UFC 325 in Sydney, Australia on January 31. Alex Volkanovski will defend his featherweight title against Diego Lopes. Volkanovski defeated Lopes by unanimous decision to claim the vacant featherweight title last April.
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