LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 05: (L-R) Opponents Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett face off during the UFC It’s On Seasonal Press Conference at T-Mobile Arena on December 05, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
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HIGHLIGHTS
- A major title fight has been postponed due to injury.
- The card still features an interim championship bout in the main event.
- The event marks the beginning of a new era for the promotion.
The UFC is finally back, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the events on Saturday nights. With UFC 324 kicking off the year in major MMA events, it’s time to hone in on the epic card that’ll get 2026 started.
The card took a major hit a little over a week ago with the loss of its co-main event between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes, but there is still a lot of meat left on the bone.
What Happened to the Kayla Harrison Vs. Amanda Nunes Title Fight?
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 05: (L-R) Opponents Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes face off during the UFC It’s On Seasonal Press Conference at T-Mobile Arena on December 05, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
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Harrison, the reigning UFC women’s bantamweight champion, suffered a serious neck injury that required surgery. She is out indefinitely, but the fight is expected to be rescheduled when she is healthy.
The women’s bantamweight title fight was originally booked as the UFC 324 co-main event, marking Nunes’ return from retirement. Harrison was diagnosed with herniated discs in her neck, and the bout was officially postponed with plans to reschedule rather than replace it on this card.
How Many Title Fights Are on the Card?
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 05: Justin Gaethje is seen on stage during the UFC It’s On Seasonal Press Conference at T-Mobile Arena on December 05, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
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Just one, kinda.
With the loss of Harrison-Nunes, the UFC 324 card now only has one title fight–and that one is an interim title battle. The main event clash between Pimblett and Gaethje is more of a No. 1 contenders fight for Ilia Topuria when he returns to the Octagon. He too is out indefinitely as he sorts out legal issues related to his estranged wife.
The rest of the lineup is contender-heavy but non-title, featuring former champions Sean O’Malley, Rose Namajunas, and Deiveson Figueiredo in high-stakes three-round fights.
Full UFC 324 Fight Card (January 24, 2026 – Las Vegas)
Main Card – Paramount+
- Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett – Interim Lightweight Title
- Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong – Bantamweight
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis – Heavyweight
- Natália Silva vs. Rose Namajunas – Women’s Flyweight
- Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva – Featherweight
Preliminary Card – Paramount+
- Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Deiveson Figueiredo – Bantamweight
- Ateba Gautier vs. Andrey Pulyaev – Middleweight
- Nikita Krylov vs. Modestas Bukauskas – Light Heavyweight
Early Prelims – Paramount+ / UFC Fight Pass
- Alex Perez vs. Charles Johnson – Flyweight
- Michael Johnson vs. Alexander Hernandez – Lightweight
- Josh Hokit vs. Denzel Freeman – Heavyweight
- Ricky Turcios vs. Cameron Smotherman – Bantamweight
- Adam Fugitt vs. Ty Miller – Welterweight
Why Is UFC 324 a Historic Event?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 13: UFC President and CEO Dana White is seen on stage during the UFC 322 Press Conference at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on November 13, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
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The event is the first in the Paramount+ era and it also ends the longest drought between UFC events in 20 years. Pimblett is one of the most polarizing fighters in the world and Gaethje is an all-action legend and future hall-of-famer. In addition to that, the card is stacked.
UFC 324 marks the promotion’s move away from traditional U.S. pay-per-view as it debuts on Paramount+ with numbered events included at no extra charge. It also launches a new phase at lightweight with Gaethje chasing a second interim belt against rising star Pimblett.
Even with Harrison-Nunes being dropped from the card, the lineup of fights set to kick off the Paramount+ era is stellar. When you consider the promotion is coming back with another numbered event the following weekend, MMA fans will get their fill soon.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2026/01/21/ufc-324-lost-a-title-fight-but-the-card-is-still-stacked/
