The UFC has released its complete event schedule for the first three weeks of May, featuring three major cards. UFC Perth on May 2 will be headlined by Prates vs. Maddalena, with Dariush, Elliott, Gaziev, and Tuivasa also competing. UFC 328 on May 9 features two title fights with Chimaev vs. Strickland and Yan vs. Taira, plus Volkov vs. Acosta on the card. UFC Vegas 117 on May 16 will be headlined by Allen vs. Costa, with Du Ho Choi vs. Santos and Veretenniukov vs. Williams among the featured bouts. The announcement provides fans with complete fight cards and broadcast times for the upcoming May events.
The UFC has unveiled its complete event schedule for the opening three weeks of May 2026, laying out three separate cards that span two continents and include a pair of championship contests.
The first event lands on May 2 with UFC Perth, headlined by Prates vs. Maddalena. The card also features Beneil Dariush, Tim Elliott, Melsik Gaziev, and Tai Tuivasa.
The marquee event of the stretch arrives on May 9 with UFC 328, which carries two title fights. Khamzat Chimaev challenges Sean Strickland for the middleweight championship. Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7-0 record and currently wears the middleweight title. The American orthodox fighter out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and produces an impressive 6.04 significant strikes per minute. The second title bout on the card pits Yan against Taira. Also featured is Alexander Volkov, ranked number one in the heavyweight division, who meets Acosta. The 37-year-old Russian stands six-foot-seven with an 80-inch reach, carries a 40-11-0 record, and lands significant strikes at 57 percent accuracy.
The third card, UFC Vegas 117 on May 16, is topped by a middleweight clash between Arnold Allen and Paulo Costa. Costa, ranked thirteenth at middleweight, brings a 16-4-0 record into the bout. The 35-year-old Brazilian lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, making him one of the more dangerous volume strikers in the division. Du Ho Choi vs. Santos and Veretenniukov vs. Williams round out the featured matchups.
Why it matters
- UFC 328 delivers back-to-back title fights, including a high-profile middleweight championship rematch scenario around Strickland
- Volkov's heavyweight bout at UFC 328 carries divisional rankings weight given his number-one contender status
- Costa's return at UFC Vegas 117 keeps the crowded middleweight landscape in motion heading deeper into 2026
