UFC 324 marked the promotion's first event of 2026 and debut on Paramount+, featuring two title fights despite missing the planned Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes co-main due to Nunes' Hall of Famer return issues. The card delivered finishes and action, kicking off UFC's new broadcasting partnership. Held last Saturday, it influenced the inaugural rankings update, setting up Gaethje-Topuria and Silva's title pursuits. This shift matters for viewership and division momentum heading into the year. Expect more Paramount events in the first-quarter schedule.
UFC 324 opened the promotion's 2026 calendar last Saturday, also marking the UFC's first card under its new broadcasting partnership with Paramount+. The event delivered finishes and sustained action across the card, though it fell short of its original billing after a planned co-main event between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes collapsed due to complications surrounding Nunes' Hall of Famer return.
Lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, 37, enters the year with a 28-5 record and a target on his back. The American fighter out of Genesis Training Center is one of the most aggressive champions in the division's history, landing an eye-catching 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. UFC 324's results have set the stage for a matchup between Gaethje and the division's number-two contender, Ilia Topuria.
Topuria, ranked first pound-for-pound and second in the lightweight division, is 29 years old and carries a 17-1 record fighting out of Spain under the Climent Club banner. The five-foot-seven orthodox striker lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute and adds a consistent takedown threat, averaging nearly two per fifteen minutes. His pursuit of lightweight gold now appears to be the division's defining storyline heading into the first quarter.
Amanda Nunes, 38, holds a 23-5 record and remains one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history. The Brazilian standout out of Lioness Studio was slated to appear at UFC 324, but issues tied to her return to competition prevented the bout from being made. She averages 4.55 significant strikes per minute with 51 percent accuracy and has historically mixed striking with a strong takedown game at 2.73 per fifteen minutes.
Why it matters
- UFC 324 launched the promotion's Paramount+ era, with more first-quarter events expected on the platform
- Gaethje versus Topuria now emerges as the lightweight division's marquee collision following the rankings update
- Nunes' stalled return leaves a notable gap in the women's division picture heading further into 2026
