2026 in UFC

Mixed martial arts events From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The year 2026 is the 34th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.

First dateJanuary 24, 2026 (2026-01-24)
Last dateTBD
Total eventsTBD
UFCTBD
Quick facts Information, First date ...
2026 in UFC
A poster or logo for 2026 in UFC.
Information
First dateJanuary 24, 2026 (2026-01-24)
Last dateTBD
Events
Total eventsTBD
UFCTBD
TUF Finale eventsTBD
Fights
Total fightsTBD
Title fightsTBD
Chronology
2025 in UFC 2026 in UFC 2027 in UFC
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UFC in 2026

Main article: Ultimate Fighting Championship

Class action: anti-trust lawsuits

Johnson v. Zuffa

Based on court filings from late July 2025, the Johnson v. Zuffa antitrust lawsuit, originally filed in 2021, is proceeding, and status conference for the case is scheduled for late August 2025.[1]

Cirkunovs v. Zuffa and Davis v. Zuffa

In May 2025, two antitrust lawsuits were filed against the UFC. One, led by former fighter Misha Cirkunov, specifically challenges the enforceability of arbitration clauses and class action waivers in UFC contracts.[2][3] The other lawsuit, filed by former fighter Phil Davis, alleges that the UFC's anticompetitive practices also negatively impacted the ability of non-UFC fighters to secure fair wages.[4][5][6]

Paramount and CBS partnership

On August 11, 2025, the UFC announced a seven-year media rights agreement with Paramount Skydance Corporation worth $7.7 billion. Paramount+ will exclusively stream all events for seven years, starting in 2026. Some numbered events will also air on CBS. The agreement will allow the UFC to move away from pay-per-view as events will stream on Paramount+ at no additional cost. All 13 of the UFC's flagship events and 30 Fight Nights a year will be streamed on the Paramount+ service.[7] UFC CEO and President Dana White announced the UFC would produce four big events per year on CBS, and that the UFC's planned card for the White House on June 14th, 2026 would be one of those events.[8]

White House event

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, the UFC held a historic mixed martial arts event entited UFC Freedom 250 on the grounds of the White House in June 2026, marking the first professional sporting event ever staged at the presidential residence.[9][10]

The event was first announced by US President Donald Trump on July 3, 2025, during a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds:[11] On August 29, 2025, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed via social media that plans for the event had been finalized, stating, "We had the meeting at the White House... The White House fight is on."[12]

On October 6, 2025, President Trump announced that the event would take place on June 14, 2026, coinciding with his 80th birthday.[13]

Post‑Fight bonus increases

Beginning in January 2026, starting with UFC 324, the UFC increased its post‑fight bonus structure, raising Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night awards from $50,000 to $100,000, and introducing additional $25,000 bonuses for any knockout or submission not selected among the standard four post‑fight awards.[14]

New rankings system

The UFC introduced official rankings in February 2013 using a weekly media voting panel. On June 20, 2026, the promotion began replacing that system with the Meta UFC Rankings, an Elo‑based mathematical model designed to prioritize objectivity through factors such as opponent quality, activity, and decay for long layoffs or outdated wins. The new framework removes pound‑for‑pound rankings and minimizes human involvement, with the media panel continuing only during a transition period.[15]

Releases and retirements

These fighters have either been released from their UFC contracts, announced their retirement, or joined other promotions:

More information Month, Day ...
MonthDayISOFighterDivisionReasonRef
January 9United Arab EmiratesMohammad YahyaFeatherweightReleased[16]
23United StatesTecia PenningtonWomen's StrawweightRetired[17]
28United StatesDarrius FlowersWelterweightReleased[18]
29United StatesPatchy MixBantamweightSigned with Rizin FF[19]
February 5New ZealandAaron TauFlyweightReleased[20]
BrazilRafael CerqueiraLight Heavyweight[21]
10United StatesAlex MoronoWelterweight[22]
AfghanistanJavid BasharatBantamweightContract expired[23]
11BrazilLucas AlmeidaFeatherweightReleased[24]
BrazilJailton AlmeidaHeavyweight[25]
13United StatesAdam FugittWelterweight[26]
NigeriaMohammed UsmanHeavyweight
20United StatesAJ CunninghamBantamweightRetired[27]
25EnglandNathan FletcherRe-signed with Cage Warriors[28]
MexicoGianni VázquezReleased
27CanadaGavin TuckerFeatherweightRetired[29]
March 2BrazilFelipe BunesFlyweightReleased[30]
BoliviaJosé MedinaMiddleweight
10United StatesPhilip RoweWelterweight[31]
11VenezuelaErik SilvaFeatherweight[32]
United StatesKris MoutinhoBantamweight
14United StatesEryk AndersMiddleweightRetired[33]
26BrazilLuan LacerdaBantamweightReleased[34]
MexicoMontserrat RendonWomen's Bantamweight
28United StatesMichael ChiesaWelterweightRetired[35]
United StatesNiko Price
April 1BrazilAntonio TrócoliMiddleweightReleased[36]
Bruna BrasilWomen's Strawweight
Luana CarolinaWomen's Bantamweight
11United StatesCub SwansonFeatherweightRetired[37]
18BrazilGilbert BurnsWelterweight[38]
21BrazilPedro MunhozBantamweightReleased[39]
EnglandShaqueme RockLightweight
May 18New ZealandBrad RiddellLightweightReleased[40]
BrazilMayra Bueno SilvaWomen's Bantamweight
United StatesColby CovingtonWelterweightRetired
22SpainDaniel BarezFlyweightReleased[41]
BrazilKetlen VieiraWomen's Bantamweight
CroatiaIvan ErslanLight Heavyweight
EnglandTuco Tokkos
ZimbabweThemba GorimboWelterweightRetired[42]
27United StatesAusten LaneHeavyweight[43]
MexicoJesús Santos AguilarFlyweightReleased[44]
28United StatesMax GriffinWelterweight[45]
30PeruDaniel MarcosBantamweightContract Concluded[46]
United StatesVince MoralesReleased
AustraliaJamie MullarkeyLightweight
United StatesLando Vannata
31SwedenAndreas GustafssonWelterweight[47]
June 7United StatesMatt SchnellFlyweightRetired[48]
18Cameron SmothermanBantamweightReleased[49]
BrazilAriane CarnelossiWomen's Strawweight
Thiago MoisésLightweight
24GuyanaCarlston HarrisWelterweight[50]
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Debut UFC fighters

The following fighters fought their first UFC fight in 2026:

More information Month, Day ...
MonthDayISOFighterDivisionEventRef
January24 United States Ty MillerWelterweightUFC 324[51]
February 1 Australia Dom Mar FanLightweightUFC 325[52]
South Korea Kim Sang-wook
Japan Keiichiro NakamuraFeatherweight[53]
Australia Sebastian Szalay
New Zealand Lawrence LuiBantamweight[54]
China Sulang Rangbo
7 Mexico Gianni VázquezUFC Fight Night 266[55]
21 United States Jean-Paul LebosnoyaniWelterweightUFC Fight Night 267[56]
United States Josiah Harrell[57]
28 Aruba Damian PinasMiddleweightUFC Fight Night 268[58]
United States Wesley Schultz
Mexico Regina TarinWomen's Flyweight[59]
Colombia Javier ReyesFeatherweight[60]
Brazil Ryan GandraMiddleweight[61]
Mexico Imanol RodríguezFlyweight[62]
March7 United States Luke FernandezLight HeavyweightUFC 326[63]
Brazil Rafael Tobias[64]
Venezuela Alberto MontesFeatherweight[65]
14 SpainHecher SosaBantamweightUFC Fight Night 269[66]
Brazil Manoel SousaLightweight[67]
Morocco Marwan RahikiFeatherweight[68]
21 EnglandShanelle DyerWomen's StrawweightUFC Fight Night 270[69]
LithuaniaMantas KondratavičiusMiddleweight[70]
BrazilFelipe FrancoHeavyweight[71]
BelgiumLosene KeitaFeatherweight[72]
EnglandKurtis Campbell[73]
28 United StatesTyrell FortuneHeavyweightUFC Fight Night 271[74]
BrazilLerryan DouglasFeatherweight[75]
April4 United States Dakota HopeLightweightUFC Fight Night 272[76]
Brazil José Mauro DelanoFeatherweight[77]
United States Tommy McMillen[78]
18 Canada Jamie SirajBantamweightUFC Fight Night 273[79]
Russia Mark Vologdin[80]
Turkey Gökhan SaricamHeavyweight[81]
Canada Julien LeblancMiddleweight[82]
Brazil Márcio BarbosaFeatherweight[83]
Canada Mandel NalloLightweight[84]
25 United States Lucas BrennanLightweightUFC Fight Night 274[85]
Chile Victor ValenzuelaWelterweight[86]
Ecuador Adrián Luna MartinettiBantamweight[87]
May2 Australia Ben JohnstonMiddleweightUFC Fight Night 275[88]
New Zealand Ollie SchmidFeatherweight[89]
16 United States Thomas GanttLightweightUFC Fight Night 276[90]
Ukraine Artur Minev
United States Christian EdwardsLight Heavyweight[91]
Peru Juan DíazBantamweight[92]
30 Peru Rodrigo VeraFeatherweightUFC Fight Night 277[93]
China Zhu Kangjie
Xiong JingnanWomen's Strawweight[94]
Ding MengWelterweight[95]
Brazil José Henrique Souza
Luis Felipe DiasMiddleweight[96]
South Korea Lee Yi-sak
June6 Brazil Jeisla ChavesWomen's FlyweightUFC Fight Night 278[97]
20 United States Shane CollinsFeatherweightUFC Fight Night 279[98]
Georgia (country) Otari Tanzilovi
Levan ChokheliWelterweight[99]
United States Leon Shahbazyan
Kyrgyzstan Murtazali MagomedovFeatherweight[100]
27 Azerbaijan Tahir AbdullayevWelterweightUFC Fight Night 280[101]
Brazil Jefferson Nascimento
Sweden Theodor Berggren[102]
Azerbaijan Farman Hasanov[103]
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Suspended fighters

The list below is based on fighters suspended either by (1) United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) or World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for violation of taking prohibited substances or non-analytical incidents, (2) by local commissions on misconduct during the fights or at event venues, or (3) by the UFC for reasons also stated below.

More information ISO, Name ...
ISO Name Nickname Division From Duration Tested positive for / Info By Eligible to
fight again		 Ref. Notes
Republic of Ireland Conor McGregor Notorious Lightweight September 20, 2024 18 months Three anti-doping whereabout failures on June 13, September 19, and September 20, 2024. CSAD March 20, 2026 [104]
Uzbekistan Ramazan Temirov Temurlan Flyweight July 5, 2025 1 year Trimetazidine CSAD July 5, 2026 [105]
Nigeria Mohammed Usman The Motor Heavyweight October 9, 2025 30 months Testosterone and BPC-157 CSAD April 9, 2028 [106] Removed from the UFC Roster on February 12, 2026[107]
Brazil Iasmin Lucindo Women's Strawweight September 24, 2025 9 months Mesterolone CSAD June 24, 2026 [108]
Brazil Levi Rodrigues Light Heavyweight October 14, 2025 9 months Nandrolone NSAC July 14, 2026 [109]
Kazakhstan Alibi Idiris Flyweight February 21, 2026 12 months Hydrochlorothiazide CSAD February 21, 2027 [110] Result vs. Ode Osbourne overturned.
United States Bassil Hafez The Habibi Welterweight March 20, 2026 12 months Ipamorelin CSAD March 20, 2027 [111]
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The Ultimate Fighter

The following The Ultimate Fighter season is scheduled for broadcast in 2026:

More information Season, Division ...
Season Division Winner Runner-up Ref
The Ultimate Fighter 34[112] Bantamweight
Women's Strawweight
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Title fights

More information Title fights in 2026, Weight class ...
Title fights in 2026
Weight class Method Round Time Event Notes
Lightweight Justin Gaethje def.[113] Paddy Pimblett Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 49–46, 49–46) 5 5:00 UFC 324 [a]
Featherweight Alexander Volkanovski (c) def.[114] Diego Lopes Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 50–45) 5 5:00 UFC 325 [b]
Light Heavyweight Carlos Ulberg def.[115] Jiří Procházka KO (punches) 1 3:45 UFC 327 [c]
Flyweight Joshua Van (c) def.[116] Tatsuro Taira TKO (punches) 5 1:32 UFC 328 [d]
Middleweight Sean Strickland def.[117] Khamzat Chimaev (c) Decision (split) (47–48, 48–47, 48–47) 5 5:00 UFC 328 [e]
Heavyweight Ciryl Gane def.[118] Alex Pereira TKO (punches) 2 1:27 UFC Freedom 250 [f]
Lightweight Justin Gaethje (ic) def.[119] Ilia Topuria (c) TKO (corner stoppage) 4 5:00 UFC Freedom 250 [g]
Welterweight Islam Makhachev (c) vs.[120] Ian Machado Garry UFC 330 [h]
Women's Strawweight Mackenzie Dern (c) vs.[121] Gillian Robertson UFC 330 [i]
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  1. [a]
    For the interim UFC Lightweight Championship.
  2. [b]
    For the UFC Featherweight Championship.
  3. [c]
    For the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
  4. [d]
    For the UFC Flyweight Championship.
  5. [e]
    For the UFC Middleweight Championship.
  6. [f]
    For the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship.
  7. [g]
    For the UFC Lightweight Championship.
  8. [h]
    For the UFC Welterweight Championship.
  9. [i]
    For the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship.

Events list

Main article: List of UFC events

Scheduled events

More information Event, Date ...
Event Date Venue City Country Ref.
UFC Fight Night 287 Sep 5, 2026 Accor Arena Paris France [122]
UFC Fight Night 286 Aug 30, 2026 Shanghai Oriental Sports Center Shanghai China [123]
UFC Fight Night 285 Aug 22, 2026 Golden 1 Center Sacramento, California United States [124]
UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry Aug 15, 2026 Xfinity Mobile Arena Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [125]
UFC Fight Night 284 Aug 8, 2026 Meta Apex Las Vegas, Nevada [126]
UFC Fight Night: Medić vs. Rodriguez Aug 1, 2026 Belgrade Arena Belgrade Serbia [127]
UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Rountree Jr. Jul 25, 2026 Etihad Arena Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates [128]
UFC Fight Night: du Plessis vs. Usman Jul 18, 2026 Paycom Center Oklahoma City, Oklahoma United States [129]
UFC 329: McGregor vs. Holloway 2 Jul 11, 2026 T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas, Nevada [130]
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Past events

More information #, Event ...
# Event Date Venue City Country Atten. Ref. Fight of the Night Performance of the Night Bonus Ref.
779 UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres Jun 27, 2026 Baku Crystal Hall Baku Azerbaijan N/a [131] N/a Rafael Fiziev Asu Almabayev $100,000 [132]
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev Daniil Donchenko
778 UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi Jun 20, 2026 Meta Apex Las Vegas, Nevada United States [133] Vinicius Oliveira vs. Andre Fili Manel Kape Murtazali Magomedov $100,000 [134]
777 UFC Freedom 250 Jun 14, 2026 White House Washington, D.C. [135] Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria Justin Gaethje Ciryl Gane $400,000
(FOTN)
$425,000
(POTN)		 [136]
776 UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim Jun 6, 2026 Meta Apex Las Vegas, Nevada [137] Brendan Allen vs. Edmen Shahbazyan Iwo Baraniewski Édgar Cháirez $100,000 [138]
775 UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Figueiredo May 30, 2026 Galaxy Arena Macau, SAR China 12,647 [139] Alonzo Menifield vs. Zhang Mingyang Song Yadong Kai Asakura $100,000 [140]
774 UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa May 16, 2026 Meta Apex Las Vegas, Nevada United States N/a [141] Choi Doo-ho vs. Daniel Santos Juan Díaz Alice Ardelean $100,000 [142]
773 UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland May 9, 2026 Prudential Center Newark, New Jersey 17,783 [143] Joshua Vanvs.Tatsuro Taira Yaroslav Amosov Jim Miller $100,000 [144]
772 UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates May 2, 2026 RAC Arena Perth Australia 13,839 [145] Shamil Gazievvs.Brando Peričić Carlos Prates Quillan Salkilld $100,000 [146]
771 UFC Fight Night: Sterling vs. Zalal Apr 25, 2026 Meta Apex Las Vegas, Nevada United States N/a [147] Davey Grant vs. Adrián Luna Martinetti Ryan Spann Jackson McVey $100,000 [148]
770 UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Malott Apr 18, 2026 Canada Life Centre Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada 14,051 [149] Charles Jourdain vs. Kyler Phillips Mike Malott Márcio Barbosa $100,000 [150]
769 UFC 327: Procházka vs. Ulberg Apr 11, 2026 Kaseya Center Miami, Florida United States 17,741 [151] Josh Hokit vs. Curtis Blaydes Carlos Ulberg Josh Hokit $100,000 [152]
768 UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Duncan Apr 4, 2026 Meta Apex Las Vegas, Nevada N/a [153] Tommy McMillen vs. Manolo Zecchini Alessandro Costa Alice Pereira $100,000 [154]
767 UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer Mar 28, 2026 Climate Pledge Arena Seattle, Washington 17,854 [155] Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Tofiq Musayev Joe Pyfer Alexa Grasso $100,000 [156]
766 UFC Fight Night: Evloev vs. Murphy Mar 21, 2026 The O2 Arena London, England United Kingdom 18,629 [157] Mason Jones vs. Axel Sola Iwo Baraniewski Shanelle Dyer $100,000 [158]
765 UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos Mar 14, 2026 Meta Apex Las Vegas, Nevada United States N/a [159] Marwan Rahiki vs. Harry Hardwick Kevin Vallejos Manoel Sousa $100,000 [160]
764 UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2 Mar 7, 2026 T-Mobile Arena 19,480 [161] N/a Drew Dober Gregory Rodrigues $100,000 [162]
Alberto Montes Rodolfo Bellato
763 UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Kavanagh Feb 28, 2026 Arena CDMX Mexico City Mexico 16,454 [163] Regina Tarin vs. Ernesta Kareckaitė Lone'er Kavanagh Imanol Rodríguez $100,000 [164]
762 UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez Feb 21, 2026 Toyota Center Houston, Texas United States 17,160 [165] N/a Sean Strickland Uroš Medić $100,000 [166]
Melquizael Costa Jacobe Smith
761 UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira Feb 7, 2026 Meta Apex Las Vegas, Nevada N/a [167] Michał Oleksiejczuk vs. Marc-André Barriault Mario Bautista Jakub Wikłacz $100,000 [168]
760 UFC 325: Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2 Feb 1, 2026 Qudos Bank Arena Sydney Australia 18,102 [169] Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes Maurício Ruffy Quillan Salkilld $100,000 [170]
759 UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett Jan 24, 2026 T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas, Nevada United States 19,481 [171] Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett Josh Hokit Ty Miller $100,000 [172]
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See also

References

External links

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