January 2026 is the month the UFC officially enters its new era. The Paramount+ transition is complete. The streaming platform is live. And the biggest fights are about to happen. Here's everything you need to know about the UFC's January schedule.
UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett
Saturday, January 24, 2026
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Live on Paramount+
This is it. The first major numbered event on Paramount+ and arguably the most important card of the early 2026 season. Everything here is significant.
Main Event: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett (Interim Lightweight Title)
The interim lightweight title is on the line, with the winner earning the next shot at reigning champion Ilia Topuria. Both Gaethje and Pimblett have been vocal about their desire to challenge Topuria, and this fight will settle the question definitively.
Gaethje is the veteran with elite wrestling and championship pedigree. He's fought the best lightweights in the world and hasn't backed down from anyone. His gas tank is legendary, and his ability to control pace and tempo is unmatched. A win puts him directly into a title fight.
Pimblett brings momentum, charisma, and a loyal fanbase that extends beyond MMA. The Liverpool native has been climbing the rankings with impressive victories. He's younger than Gaethje and potentially entering his athletic prime. A win here would be the signature victory of his career.
Co-Main Event: Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes (Women's Bantamweight Title)
Amanda Nunes is coming out of retirement. Let that sink in. The fighter most people consider the greatest women's MMA competitor of all time is putting on the gloves again to challenge Kayla Harrison for the bantamweight title.
This fight has backstory. Harrison and Nunes were teammates at the same gym. There's history. There's rivalry. And there's the intriguing question of whether Nunes' remarkable technical skills have diminished at all during her time away from competition.
Harrison is the defending champion and one of the most dominant fighters in the sport right now. She's a heavy favorite in this matchup, but Nunes is Nunes. The striking, the grappling, the fight IQ—these don't disappear. This could be the most compelling women's fight of 2026.
Additional UFC 324 Main Card Bouts
Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva (Featherweight): Elite ranked featherweights colliding. Silva brings finishing ability and flashy striking. Allen brings technical depth and wrestling. Divisional implications are huge here.
Derrick Lewis vs. Waldo Cortes Acosta (Heavyweight): The heavyweight division always delivers fireworks, and Lewis has been vocal about perceiving disrespect from oddsmakers. This should be a war.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (Bantamweight): Championship pedigree meets rising contender in a bantamweight battle that will influence divisional positioning.
Sean O'Malley vs. Yadong Song (Bantamweight): The former champion faces a fighter hungry for a title shot. Song has made his intentions clear. O'Malley has the experience but needs to prove he's still dangerous after time away.
UFC 325: Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2
Saturday, January 31, 2026 (technically very early February)
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
Live on Paramount+
Just one week after UFC 324, the promotion returns to Sydney, Australia, for UFC 325. The featherweight championship rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes is the main event.
Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2 (Featherweight Title)
Volkanovski is a future hall of famer defending his belt against Diego Lopes in a rematch. The first fight between these two was competitive, and the second chapter profiles as a technical chess match between two elite strikers.
Volkanovski brings championship experience, elite wrestling, and the credentials of being one of the best featherweights in UFC history. Lopes brings a hungry challenger's mentality and striking that's earned him a second crack at the title.
This is quality featherweight action at its finest. Volkanovski will be the favorite, but Lopes has every chance to pull off the upset on the biggest stage.
The Broader Context: A Stacked January
What makes January 2026 so significant isn't just that UFC 324 and 325 are strong cards—it's that they're bookending the month and establishing the tone for the entire year. The Paramount+ platform gets tested with two major numbered events in a single week. The streaming infrastructure needs to hold up. The fights need to deliver. The viewership numbers need to justify the massive investment.
For fight fans, it's straightforward: two great cards, packed with compelling matchups, broadcast on your Paramount+ subscription. No PPV fees. No additional charges. Just great fights.
Looking Beyond January
While UFC 324 and 325 are the headline acts for January, it's worth noting what comes next:
UFC Houston (February 21): Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez headlines this card at Toyota Center in Houston.
UFC 326 (March 7): A numbered event in Las Vegas that was supposed to feature Paulo Costa vs. Brunno Ferreira in a middleweight bout, though Costa has since withdrawn.
UFC London (March): Lerone Murphy has predicted he'll return here, with possible matchups against top featherweight contenders like Aljamain Sterling or Movsar Evloev.
UFC Seattle (March 28): The promotion heads to the Pacific Northwest with a card at Climate Pledge Arena.
But all of that is secondary to what January represents. This is the month the new era truly begins. This is when Paramount+ proves it can deliver. This is when the 2026 season establishes itself as something special.
Final Thoughts
January 2026 will be remembered as the month that defined the entire year. Two elite numbered events, blockbuster matchups, incredible depth across multiple divisions, and the debut of the sport's new distribution model. Whether you're a casual fan tuning in for Gaethje vs. Pimblett or a hardcore viewer planning your entire month around both cards, January is unmissable.
Mark your calendars. Get your Paramount+ subscription sorted. And prepare for one of the most compelling months in recent UFC history.
The year has just begun, and the sport has never looked better.