A comprehensive fight calendar has been released covering the first three weeks of May 2026. The schedule includes multiple major events across MMA promotions and boxing. Notable MMA events include UFC Perth on May 2 featuring Madalena vs Prates and Dariush vs Salkilld, PFL Sioux Falls with Storley vs Zendeli and Ramonov vs Chizhov, and the marquee UFC 328 on May 9 headlined by Chimaev vs Strickland. UFC 328 also features Volkov vs Acosta, Brady vs Buckley, and Kopylov vs Tulio among other matchups. Additional events include ACA 203 on May 8, UFC Vegas 117 on May 16 with Allen vs Costa, and MVP MMA on May 16 featuring Rousey vs Carano and Ngannou vs Lins. The boxing schedule includes Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani in Tokyo and David Benavidez vs Gilberto Ramirez in Las Vegas, both on May 2.
A detailed fight calendar covering the first three weeks of May 2026 has been published, mapping out a packed stretch of MMA and boxing across multiple promotions.
The schedule opens on May 2 with UFC Perth, where Beneil Dariush squares off against Salkilld at lightweight and Madalena takes on Prates in a separate featured bout. PFL Sioux Falls also runs that day, headlined by Storley versus Zendeli and Ramonov versus Chizhov. On the boxing side, Naoya Inoue defends against Junto Nakatani in Tokyo and David Benavidez meets Gilberto Ramirez in Las Vegas, both on May 2.
Dariush, 37, carries a 23-8-1 record into his UFC Perth assignment. The American southpaw from Kings MMA is ranked eighth in the lightweight division and brings a well-rounded game, averaging 2.11 takedowns per fifteen minutes and landing strikes at a 49 percent accuracy clip.
ACA 203 follows on May 8 before the calendar peaks at UFC 328 on May 9, headlined by Khamzat Chimaev against Sean Strickland. Strickland, the current middleweight champion, holds a 31-7-0 record and is one of the most active strikers in the division at 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute. The 35-year-old orthodox fighter from Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach. UFC 328 also features Alexander Volkov versus Acosta, Brady versus Buckley, and Kopylov versus Tulio.
The final full weekend of the stretch brings UFC Vegas 117 on May 16, where fifth-ranked featherweight Arnold Allen meets Paulo Costa. Allen, 32, fights out of Tristar Gym and holds a 21-4-0 record. The English southpaw averages 1.24 takedowns per fifteen minutes and strikes at a 43 percent accuracy rate across his 70-inch reach.
MVP MMA also runs on May 16, showcasing Rousey versus Carano and Francis Ngannou versus Lins.
Why it matters
- The Chimaev-Strickland middleweight title fight at UFC 328 is the marquee championship bout of the entire stretch
- Allen versus Costa at UFC Vegas 117 carries significant top-five featherweight implications
- Dariush's lightweight clash at UFC Perth could reshape the division's lower rankings
- The May 2 boxing double-header adds cross-promotional weight to an already loaded weekend
Saturday, May 9, 2026
