The UFC has announced its event schedule for early May 2026. UFC Perth takes place on May 2 featuring Prates vs. Maddalena and Salkilld vs. Dariush in the main bouts. UFC 328 is scheduled for May 9 with two title fights: Chimaev vs. Strickland and Yan vs. Taira, plus Volkov vs. Acosta on the card. UFC Vegas 117 rounds out the schedule on May 16 with Allen vs. Costa headlining. The events span locations in Australia and the United States with varying start times for Moscow audiences.
Three UFC events have been confirmed for the opening weeks of May 2026, with the promotion announcing a stretch of cards spanning Australia and the United States across consecutive weekends.
The run begins on May 2 with UFC Perth, which features Nicolas Prates against Jack Maddalena and Mateusz Gamrot going up against Beneil Dariush in prominent bouts. Dariush, a 37-year-old American lightweight ranked eighth in his division, brings a 23-8-1 record into the contest. Competing out of Kings MMA, the southpaw lands 3.78 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy and adds a strong grappling dimension, averaging 2.11 takedowns per 15 minutes.
UFC 328 follows on May 9 and carries the weight of two championship fights. Sean Strickland puts his middleweight title on the line against Khamzat Chimaev. Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7 record and is one of the sport's most active strikers, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute across his career. The six-foot-one English-based Orthodox fighter carries a 76-inch reach into every bout. The second title fight on the card places Merab Dvalishvili champion Umar Nurmagomedov — wait, per the confirmed data, it is Yan versus Taira for the second belt. Alexander Volkov and Manel Kape Acosta are also slated for UFC 328.
The three-week stretch closes on May 16 with UFC Vegas 117, where Arnold Allen headlines against Paulo Costa. Allen, a 32-year-old Englishman ranked fifth at featherweight, carries a 21-4 record and trains out of Tristar Gym. The southpaw stands 173 centimeters tall with a 70-inch reach, lands 3.52 significant strikes per minute, and supplements his striking with 1.24 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- UFC 328 features two simultaneous title fights, making it one of the more significant pay-per-view cards of the year
- Strickland's middleweight title defense against Chimaev represents a high-stakes matchup between the champion and one of the division's most dangerous challengers
- Allen's featherweight headliner at UFC Vegas 117 carries ranking implications in a tightly contested top-ten division
- Dariush's Perth appearance tests a veteran contender looking to push back toward lightweight title contention
