UFC president Dana White revealed the promotion's full schedule through mid-June 2026, featuring 10 events from April onward. Key matchups include Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland for the middleweight title at UFC 328 on May 9, and Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title on June 14 in Washington D.C. Co-main events like Kyler Phillips vs. Charles Jourdain on April 18 in Winnipeg and Beneil Dariush vs. Quillan Salkilld on May 2 in Perth were also confirmed. This locks in the calendar, offering clarity for fighters' preparations and fans' planning. It shapes multiple divisions, with title implications in middleweight and lightweight, setting up high-stakes rivalries. Expect further card fills and potential changes as camps progress.
UFC president Dana White has reportedly outlined the promotion's full event calendar through mid-June 2026, with 10 cards announced from April onward and several high-profile title fights anchoring the schedule. The announcement has not been officially confirmed, but the reported slate offers a sweeping look at where the sport's biggest matchups are headed over the coming months.
The centerpiece of the revealed schedule is a middleweight title fight between champion Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev, slated for UFC 328 on May 9. Strickland, nicknamed "Tarzan," carries a 31-7-0 record and holds the middleweight belt at 35 years old. The American product of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute.
On June 14 in Washington D.C., lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is reportedly set to defend against Justin Gaethje, a matchup that would carry significant stakes in a division already in flux.
Among the co-main events, Beneil Dariush meets Australian contender Quillan Salkilld on May 2 in Perth. Dariush, ranked eighth in the lightweight division, is a 37-year-old southpaw out of Kings MMA carrying a 23-8-1 record. He averages 2.11 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands strikes at a 49 percent accuracy clip. Salkilld, ranked 15th and just 26 years old, enters with an impressive 12-1-0 record and a remarkable 7.95 takedowns per 15 minutes, suggesting a potentially lopsided grappling battle if the fight hits the mat.
Why it matters
- The middleweight title picture gets a definitive next chapter with Strickland defending against Chimaev
- Topuria vs. Gaethje shapes the lightweight division's near-term future
- Dariush vs. Salkilld carries ranking implications for a crowded 155-pound contender pool
- The broad schedule gives fighters and camps extended runway for preparation
Saturday, May 9, 2026
