UFC unveiled key 2026 spring fights including Renato Moicano vs. Chris Duncan on April 4 in Las Vegas, Gilbert Burns vs. Mike Malott on April 18 in Winnipeg, and Aljamain Sterling vs. Youseff Zalal on April 25. Later cards feature Jack Della Maddalena vs. Carlos Prates in Perth and Khamzat Chimaev defending middleweight title vs. Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9. These announcements fill out a global slate, boosting welterweight and featherweight divisions. Expect ranking implications and star risers to emerge.
The UFC has announced a loaded spring 2026 schedule, revealing a series of significant matchups across multiple weight classes and continents that will carry substantial divisional consequences through May.
The run begins April 4 in Las Vegas, where Renato Moicano squares off against Chris Duncan. Two weeks later, the promotion heads to Winnipeg as Gilbert Burns takes on Mike Malott on April 18. Burns, known as "Durinho," carries a 22-10 record into the fight and sits thirteenth in the welterweight rankings at 39 years old. The Brazilian remains a credible threat on the ground, averaging 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes with 48 percent striking accuracy across his career. April closes out on the 25th with Aljamain Sterling meeting Youseff Zalal in a featherweight contest with rankings implications of its own.
May brings the most marquee action. Jack Della Maddalena, ranked fourth in the welterweight division and thirteenth pound-for-pound, returns home to Perth to face Carlos Prates. The 29-year-old Australian carries an 18-4 record and lands 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy, making him one of the most efficient strikers in the division.
The spring slate culminates at UFC 328 on May 9, where middleweight champion Sean Strickland puts the title on the line against Khamzat Chimaev. Strickland, a 35-year-old American fighting out of Xtreme Couture, holds a 31-7 record and has built his championship reign on relentless output — 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute across his career — backed by a six-foot-one frame and a 76-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Strickland vs. Chimaev places the middleweight title at the center of the sport's biggest spring event
- Della Maddalena's bout in Perth could push the fourth-ranked welterweight into title contention with a strong performance
- Burns vs. Malott in Winnipeg gives a veteran contender a chance to climb back up a competitive 170-pound ladder
Saturday, May 9, 2026
