UFC 2026: Gaethje vs. Pimblett Official! Will Chaos Reign Supreme?

Big news for fight fans! Paramount+ just dropped a bombshell during CBS's Thanksgiving Day NFL halftime show – we finally know the date for their first-ever UFC event. Circle January 24th, 2026, on your calendars, folks, because that's when the streaming era of UFC officially kicks off with UFC 324.

UFC 2026: Gaethje vs. Pimblett Official! Will Chao...

The move to Paramount+ has been buzzing for months, but seeing concrete details like this makes it feel real. It's a major shift for the sport, and it sounds like Paramount is pulling out all the stops. UFC 324: GAETHJE vs. PIMBLETT (more on that in a second) will be the first of 13 numbered events exclusively on the platform in 2026. Talk about a commitment!

For those of you wondering about timing, the main card gets rolling at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, which is actually earlier than typical UFC main events. That's a nice change, especially for us East Coast viewers. Preliminary bouts will start at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, with early prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. So, essentially, a full day of fights, all accessible through your Paramount+ subscription.

Cindy Holland, Chair of Direct-To-Consumer at Paramount, sounds pretty stoked about the partnership. “Paramount+ and UFC are transforming the mixed martial arts fan experience," she said in a statement. It’s corporate speak, sure, but the sentiment is clear: Paramount is betting big on UFC, and they're promising a seamless experience for fans.

And speaking of big, let's talk about the card. Dana White, never one to undersell anything, called the partnership "incredible" and promises a "stacked" card. The main event is Justin Gaethje taking on Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett for the interim lightweight title. Now, that's a fight! The winner, according to White, will then face Ilia Topuria later in the year. But wait, there’s more! According to Dana, the card will feature six current and former champions, including the return of “the greatest female fighter of all time,” in what he’s calling "the biggest women's fight ever." He's certainly laying it on thick, but if even half of that hype is true, we're in for a treat.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from White's statement is the promise of "no more pay-per-view." That alone is a game-changer for many fans who have been priced out of watching UFC events regularly. A Paramount+ subscription is definitely more affordable than consistently dropping $80 on a PPV. Tickets for UFC 324 go on sale December 12th at 10 a.m. PT. Get ready to refresh those browsers!