UFC president Dana White revealed the promotion's full event schedule through mid-June 2026, featuring 10 cards from April onward. Key bookings 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 highlighted are Kyler Phillips vs. Charles Jourdain on April 18 in Winnipeg and Beneil Dariush vs. Quillan Salkilld on May 2 in Perth. This announcement provides much-needed clarity for fighters' training camps and fans' planning amid a busy calendar. It shapes the middleweight and lightweight divisions significantly, positioning winners as top contenders. Expect rapid hype builds and potential undercard additions soon.[1]
Reports emerged this week indicating that UFC president Dana White has unveiled a packed event schedule stretching through mid-June 2026, though the announcement has not been officially confirmed. The reported slate features ten cards from April onward and includes two high-profile title fights that would significantly reshape both the middleweight and lightweight divisions.
At the center of the reported schedule is UFC 328 on May 9, where middleweight champion Sean Strickland is said to be booked against Khamzat Chimaev. Strickland, 35, carries a 31-7-0 record and holds the 185-pound title under the Xtreme Couture banner. The American southpaw stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and is one of the sport's most relentless volume strikers, averaging 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute. He is also reported to be matched against Ilia Topuria versus Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title on June 14 in Washington D.C.
Also featured in the reported schedule is a lightweight contest on May 2 in Perth between Beneil Dariush and Quillan Salkilld. Dariush, ranked eighth in the lightweight division at 37 years old, holds a 23-8-1 record fighting out of Kings MMA. The southpaw stands five-foot-ten with a 72-inch reach, landing strikes at a rate of 3.78 per minute while adding 2.11 takedowns per 15 minutes to his grappling ledger. His opponent, Australian prospect Salkilld, enters ranked 15th with an 11-1-0 record and fights for Luistro Combat Academy. Just 26 years old, the six-foot orthodox fighter is a legitimate grappling threat, averaging a striking accuracy of 57 percent and an eye-catching 7.95 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- A Strickland title defense against Chimaev would be one of the most anticipated middleweight bouts in recent memory
- The Topuria-Gaethje lightweight title fight carries major divisional implications at 155 pounds
- Dariush vs. Salkilld pits a seasoned veteran against a rising contender, with the winner likely climbing the lightweight rankings
- Because these bookings remain unconfirmed, fighters and fans should await official UFC announcements before treating the schedule as final
Saturday, May 9, 2026
