UFC and Paramount+ are ushering in a new era with a bang. UFC 324, the first event of the Paramount+ partnership, will take place on January 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. In the main event, Justin Gaethje will face Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title.
Additionally, women's bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison will defend her title against Amanda Nunes, while the women's GOAT will come out of retirement for her first fight since 2023.
UFC CEO Dana White announced the 2026 card during halftime of the Chiefs vs. Cowboys game on Thanksgiving Day.
The winner of the interim title fight between Gaethje and Pimblett is expected to receive a lightweight title unification shot against defending champion Ilia Topuria later this year.
There is no more exciting fighter than Gaethje. The former interim champion has earned an astonishing 14 post-fight bonuses in as many UFC appearances. Pimblett is no stranger to delivering highlights in the cage or behind the microphone. He is undefeated in the UFC at 7-0 and has earned five performance bonuses.
In the co-main event, Nunes, the UFC's greatest athlete, the greatest athlete of all time, regardless of gender, will come 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 hiatus to add another big name to her hit list, which already includes Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Valentina Shevchenko. Harrison is a two-time Olympian who is 3-0 since joining the promotion last year.
“This event will begin on Saturday, January 24th in Las Vegas. incredible partnership with Paramount“,” White said in a press release. “I'm so 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 by far the biggest women's fight ever.
“Also in the main event we have Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title to see who faces Ilia Topuria later this year on Paramount+. This map is absolutely challenging – every fight is a must see. This deal is a huge win for fans who no longer have pay-per-view. I look forward to 2026 being our best year ever.”
An impressive main card bolsters the UFC's debut on Paramount. Former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley begins his path back to title contention against perennial contender Song Yadong.
Heavyweight contender Waldo Cortez Acoza fights for the sixth time in 10 months, this time against fan favorite Derrick Lewis. Cortez Acosta fought twice in November, both against lower-ranked opponents, before taking another fight against an opponent behind him in the pecking order.
Rounding out the announcements is the return of featherweight contender Arnold Allen after an 18-month layoff against knockout artist Jean Silva.
The UFC 324 main card will begin at a new time of 9:00 pm ET. The preliminary card and early qualifiers will begin at 7:00 pm and 5:00 pm respectively. You can stream the entire event at no additional cost using 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, Bantamweight
- Waldo Cortez Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis, heavyweights
- Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva, featherweight
