The final big UFC event of the year is now in the books. The home of mixed martial arts in Las Vegas hosted UFC 323, and now we are on the wind-down to the end of 2025. There are still a few MMA events to enjoy before the New Year, but fans of the blockbuster nights will be eagerly awaiting what 2026 will bring.

There have been numerous highlights for UFC in 2025. The multi-billion-dollar broadcast deal with Paramount has ensured that the sport will continue to be one of the big draws for many years to come. Inside the octagon, we saw a lot of change when it came to who owns the belts in the various weight divisions, making the early fights of 2026 even more mouth-watering.

The UFC action never really stops, of course, and the top fighters will already be preparing for the events at the start of next year. Fans are already having their say online, and now would seem to be the right time to find out where to bet on the biggest UFC events. Here’s what we can look forward to in the first few months of 2026.

UFC 324

It has just been confirmed that UFC will be returning to London, England, in March of next year. The UK is one of the strongholds of MMA around the world, and that event is sure to be a sellout. But before that extravaganza, the year will open with UFC 324, held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This will be the first to be broadcast under the new Paramount deal, and UFC is pulling out all the stops to put on a show. Top of the bill will be the interim UFC Lightweight Championship bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. The current champion, Ilia Topuria, has already said that he won’t be fighting in the first quarter of 2026.

Gaethje and Pimblett are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the lightweight division and will come together boasting a pair of exemplary fight records. Gaethje has won 26 of his 31 bouts, but took a while to get going under the UFC banner. He most recently recovered from a loss to Max Holloway to claim the fight of the night award at UFC 313, beating Rafael Fiziev to put himself back in the running for a title shot.

UK fighter Pimblett has been one of the most exciting fighters in UFC for the last few years. After bursting onto the scene as a teenager, he first fought in the UFC in 2021 and has now won seven straight fights, climbing the rankings in the process. His most recent victory was over Michael Chandler in April, and he will be keen to show that he is a worthy contender.

The other championship fight scheduled for the night is the women’s bantamweight clash between the champion, Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes. That is sure to be an electrifying meet-up, and the fans in Vegas will also be treated to a whole host of other fights covering nearly all the weight divisions.

UFC 325

UFC 324 is scheduled for the last week in January, but the next big show comes fast on its heels, with the top fighters travelling to the other side of the world to entertain and excite their fans in Australia. It will be the eighth time that Sydney, Australia, has hosted UFC, with the most recent coming in February of 2025.

As is UFC’s way, the headline event features a homegrown star, with Alexander Volkanovski defending his featherweight title against Brazil’s Diego Lopes. The pair previously met at UFC 314 in April, when Volkanovski claimed the vacant belt. Volkanovski is a two-time champion, having previously held the lightweight title as well. He lost both titles in the space of four months when he was beaten by Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. But with those two fighters ranking number one and two in the pound-for-pound table, that is no embarrassment for the Aussie – and he will be keen to show that he is still a fighter to be feared.

Diego Lopes has successfully returned to the ring since that loss to Volkanovski, beating Jean Silva by TKO in September, for which he received the performance and fight of the night awards. Lopes is currently the number two-ranked fighter in his division, but will fancy his chances of revenge, even if he is fighting in his opponent’s home town.

2026 to Be a Special Year for UFC

These first two big events of 2026 promise to keep UFC at the forefront of mixed martial arts, and fighting in general. The rest of the year will, no doubt, throw up some equally intriguing contests and championship bouts.

All eyes will also be on the forthcoming UFC White House event in June. Scheduled to take place on the iconic South Lawn of the White House, this event will be like no other in the history of the organization, and will be a must-see for every fan of MMA. UFC continues to remain at the pinnacle of the sport, and it feels like there will be no let-up in the action as we go through next year.

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