UFC 324 fight week continues. It’s been six weeks since Dana White’s promotion has held a card, but after an extended winter break, the first show of the new year’s schedule is upon us.
Saturday night, the 2026 itinerary for the No. 1 MMA promotion on Earth begins in its Nevada home base. T-Mobile Arena is the site of the first in a 43-event slate for the year. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last five months, the UFC has a new streaming home for live events.
Starting with UFC 324 on Saturday night, the entirety of the UFC’s schedule can be viewed via the promotion’s new streaming partner, Paramount Plus. Back in August of last year, Paramount Plus and the UFC came to terms on a seven-year, $7.7 billion (USD) rights deal for the United States of America. The package has since been revised to include audiences in Latin America and Australia.
UFC 324 Main Event: UFC Interim Lightweight Championship: No. 4 Contender Justin Gaethje vs. No. 5 Contender Paddy Pimblett
At the top of the bill on Saturday night is the battle for interim supremacy at 155 lbs. No. 4 contender Justin Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) battles No. 5 contender Paddy Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC.) The UFC Interim Lightweight Championship is at stake in this five-round fight at five minutes per round.
Gaethje comes into the UFC 324 headliner this Saturday evening with a record of 3-2 in his last five trips to the fabled Octagon, but he’s been away for a while. Last March, he returned to the win column thanks to a unanimous decision victory over Rafael Fiziev (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) after three rounds of action in a rematch between the two of them.
“The Highlight” has more than lived up to his nickname throughout his career and he’s repeatedly tasted the victory champagne befitting a champion, having won six straight title fights during his run in the late World Series of Fighting. Will he go into victory lane again this Saturday night?
Meanwhile, Pimblett enters UFC 324 on Saturday night having posted a mark of 5-0 in his last five fights and hasn’t lost in more than seven years’ time. Most recently, “The Baddy” scored a third-round knockout win against Michael Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) in April of last year during UFC 314 in Miami.
Saturday’s main event is Paddy Pimblett’s eighth appearance under the UFC promotional banner. Can the scouser become a champion?
UFC 324 Co-Main Event: No. 3 Contender Sean O’Malley vs. No. 5 Contender Song Yadong
Immediately beforehand, the UFC 324 co-main event happens at bantamweight. No. 3 contender Sean O’Malley (18-3, 1 NC MMA, 10-3, 1 NC UFC) fights No. 5 contender Song Yadong (22-8-1, 1 NC MMA, 11-3-1, 1 NC UFC.) This fight is an advertised three rounds at five minutes per round.
O’Malley, who said a few weeks ago on his podcast that he’s considering making 2026 his last year of active competition in MMA, is 3-2 in his last five appearances. “Suga” is currently on a two-fight skid heading into Saturday’s card.
Back on June 7, he dropped a unanimous decision to Merab Dvalishvili (21-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) in a rematch for the UFC Bantamweight Championship in UFC 316 for the latter’s second defense of the title. With Sean O’Malley talking about retiring from the sport, can he make one final run at gold beginning at UFC 324?
Across the way, Song Yadong makes his 2026 debut at UFC 324 on Saturday evening with a record of 3-2 himself over the last five contests. He’ll be looking to build off of his victory by way of technical decision versus the now-retired Henry Cejudo (16-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) after the third round of a scheduled five in the UFC Seattle main event last year.
He’s been away from competition for 11 months. How much ring rust does Song Yadong have to shake off?
UFC 324: No. 5 Contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. No. 8 Contender Derrick Lewis
The heavyweights do battle on UFC 324 this coming weekend when No. 5 contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta (16-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) collides with No. 8 contender Derrick Lewis (29-12, 1 NC MMA, 20-10 UFC.) Cortes-Acosta is coming off of an extremely active year in 2025.
Between March 12 and Nov. 22, he fought five times, including twice in a four-week stretch in November. Cortes-Acosta is 4-1 in his last five treks to the cage. On Nov. 22, he made a quick turnaround off of a first-round knockout win just weeks earlier with another such stoppage in Qatar.
This one was even faster, with “Salsa Boy” ending the win against Shamil Gaziev (14-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) with a right hook in under 90 seconds. What happens this time? Tune in and find out.
Rest of the Card
Two other fights round out the main card on UFC 324 this Saturday, a women’s flyweight contest between No. 2 contender Natalia Silva (19-5-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and No. 6 contender Rose Namajunas (14-7 MMA, 12-6 UFC) and a featherweight encounter matching No. 6 contender Arnold Allen (20-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) with Jean Silva (16-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC.)
Which fights are you looking forward to on UFC 324? Let us know in the comments.
