UFC president Dana White revealed the promotion's full schedule through mid-June 2026, featuring 10 events from April onward. Key bouts include Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland for middleweight title at UFC 328 on May 9, and Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for lightweight title on June 14 in Washington D.C. Co-mains like Kyler Phillips vs. Charles Jourdain on April 18 in Winnipeg and Beneil Dariush vs. Quillan Salkilld on May 2 in Perth add depth. This locks in the calendar, aiding fighter planning and fan anticipation. It shapes middleweight and lightweight divisions with high-stakes title clashes. Expect more undercard reveals soon.
Dana White has reportedly laid out the UFC's full event calendar through mid-June 2026, unveiling 10 events from April onward and anchoring the stretch with two marquee title fights — though the schedule has not been officially confirmed at this stage.
The centerpiece of the reported calendar is a middleweight championship bout at UFC 328 on May 9, where Sean "Tarzan" Strickland would put his title on the line against Khamzat Chimaev. Strickland, 35, carries a 31-7 record and holds the middleweight crown fighting out of Xtreme Couture. The American orthodox striker stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and ranks among the highest-volume fighters in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute.
The lightweight title picture is also reportedly taking shape, with Ilia Topuria set to face Justin Gaethje on June 14 in Washington D.C. Flanking those headliners are notable co-main events, including a Perth card on May 2 that would pit veteran Beneil Dariush against rising contender Quillan Salkilld. Dariush, ranked eighth at lightweight, is a 37-year-old southpaw with a 23-8-1 record who blends solid striking — 3.78 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy — with a consistent grappling threat of 2.11 takedowns per 15 minutes. His opponent, Salkilld, sits fifteenth in the division at just 26 years old and owns a 12-1 record. The Australian is a sharp finisher who lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 57 percent accuracy while adding a ferocious takedown pace of 7.95 attempts per 15 minutes fighting out of Luistro Combat Academy.
Why it matters
- A Strickland title defense against Chimaev reshapes the crowded middleweight landscape
- Topuria versus Gaethje would unify lightweight contendership and determine long-term divisional direction
- Salkilld, unranked until recently, could force his way into the top ten with a win over the experienced Dariush
- The broad calendar release, if confirmed, gives fighters and fans rare long-range visibility into a stacked first half of 2026
Saturday, May 9, 2026
