When is the first UFC card on Paramount+ in 2026? Event schedule revealed for Q1

This past Saturday marked the first non-UFC event weekend in a bit, which will remain the case throughout much of January.

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The UFC event schedule is back on hiatus once again, which began Saturday with no card to consume for the first time since Thanksgiving weekend and only the second time the entire fall (the weekend of Sept. 20).

Even though the schedule has come to a halt to cap an unpredictable year, the UFC will return in full force beginning in 2026. It will just be a bit before the fights appear on television screens (or streaming devices) all over the U.S.

The December 13 UFC Fight Night event from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas marked the end of a seven-year relationship with ESPN and its streaming service, ESPN+. Once the event went off-air, though, it officially marked the start of a brand-new, modernized way to watch the events live on Paramount+. For one flat subscription, every UFC event and its shoulder-programming will be available to watch live, without any additional paywalls.

Therefore, as UFC CEO Dana White proudly said at halftime when the Dallas Cowboys played the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day: "No more pay-per-view."

Under the new model, the promotion remains content with their traditional scheduling model, as 43 live events (with 13 numbered UFC events) will take place across the entire calendar year.

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When Is The First UFC Event In 2026?

Mar 22, 2025; London, England, United Kingdom; Paddy Pimblett, UFC Lightweight fighter, watches as Jai Herbert (red gloves) fights against Chris Padilla (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images | Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

The first UFC event of the new year is UFC 324, which takes place Saturday, January 24, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, featuring a championship doubleheader. The main event will see Justin Gaethje fight Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title while the undisputed champion, Ilia Topuria, sits on the sidelines due to his ongoing legal issues.

Meanwhile, the co-main event of the evening sees Kayla Harrison defend her UFC Women's Bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes, who opted to come out of retirement in an attempt to regain the title that was once hers.

The UFC's schedule is off and running from there, as the promotion has since announced eight events through the end of March.

Here are those dates below.

The Rest of UFC's Q1 Schedule

Zuffa LL

• UFC 325 - Jan. 31 - Sydney
• UFC FN - Feb. 7 - Apex
• UFC FN - Feb. 21 - Houston
• UFC FN - Feb. 28 - Mexico City
• UFC 326 - March 7 - Las Vegas
• UFC FN - March 14 - Apex
• UFC FN - March 21 - London
• UFC FN - March 28 - Seattle

Strap in, because the UFC will be back before fight fans lose their patience.

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