UFC releases 2026 schedule through early fall

CBS Sports published an updated UFC schedule on July 18 outlining a packed slate of events running through early fall 2026, highlighted by a welterweight world title fight and cards spread across multiple continents.

The schedule begins with UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City on the same day the calendar was released, then moves through Abu Dhabi, Belgrade, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Shanghai, and Paris before arriving at UFC 330 on August 15 in Philadelphia. That card is headlined by a welterweight championship bout between Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry.

Makhachev enters as the reigning welterweight champion with a 28-1-0 record, holding the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings at 34 years old. The Russian southpaw out of Eagles MMA is one of the most efficient grapplers in the sport, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He also connects at a 58 percent striking accuracy rate, among the highest in the division.

Standing across from him will be Ian Machado Garry, ranked first in the welterweight division and carrying a 17-1-0 record at just 28 years old. Known as "The Future," the six-foot-three orthodox striker boasts a 74-inch reach and lands 4.78 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy, giving him one of the more dangerous stand-up games in the 170-pound class.

Why it matters

• The UFC 330 main event puts the welterweight title on the line with the division's top-ranked contender challenging a pound-for-pound number one
• The global card schedule — spanning Abu Dhabi, Belgrade, Shanghai, and Paris — signals the UFC's continued push into international markets through summer and fall
• Multiple fight nights preceding UFC 330 will likely shape contender positioning across several divisions heading into the fall stretch