Dana White announced several major fights that will anchor the UFC’s early 2026 schedule, including Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for an interim lightweight title and Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes for the women’s bantamweight championship. The card also includes Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong, Alexa Grasso vs. Rose Namajunas, Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva, Derrick Lewis vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, and Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Deiveson Figueiredo. The announcement matters because it clarifies the title picture at lightweight and women’s bantamweight while giving multiple divisional contenders a clear path forward. UFC 324 is scheduled for January 24 in Las Vegas, with UFC 325 following a week later in Sydney.[5]
Dana White has officially announced a pair of major events to kick off the UFC's 2026 calendar, with UFC 324 set for January 24 in Las Vegas and UFC 325 following one week later in Sydney. The cards feature multiple title fights and high-stakes divisional matchups across the roster.
The centerpiece of the announcement is an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, a pairing that sets the division's near-term course. At women's bantamweight, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison will collide for the championship, a fight with genuine historical weight given both competitors' accomplishments in the sport.
Arnold Allen, ranked fifth in the featherweight division, returns to action against Jean Silva. The 32-year-old Englishman out of Tristar Gym carries a 21-4 record and brings a balanced offensive game, averaging 3.52 significant strikes per minute while also threatening with takedowns at a rate of 1.24 per 15 minutes.
Umar Nurmagomedov, the second-ranked bantamweight contender, faces former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo. The 30-year-old Russian holds a 20-1 record and represents one of the division's most complete threats, landing strikes at a 56 percent accuracy rate while averaging over four takedowns per 15 minutes.
Rose Namajunas, the 34-year-old American ranked sixth at women's flyweight with a 15-8 record, steps up to face Alexa Grasso. Namajunas averages 3.5 significant strikes per minute and has shown consistent takedown ability throughout her career.
Rounding out the announced bouts are Sean O'Malley versus Song Yadong and Derrick Lewis versus Waldo Cortes-Acosta.
Why it matters
- The Gaethje-Pimblett interim title fight gives the lightweight division clarity at the top while its champion situation remains unsettled
- Nunes versus Harrison is a generational women's bantamweight title matchup with championship lineage on both sides
- Nurmagomedov's clash with Figueiredo could position the winner as the division's next title challenger
- Allen and Namajunas both enter their respective bouts needing wins to climb the rankings ladder
Umar Nurmagomedov vs Song Yadong
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