New Year Excitement: Fights to Look Forward to in 2026
The UFC is wasting no time and starting off the new year with a lot of excitement. The first three months of 2026 alone have some of the biggest names in the sport, making many fans eager for January's arrival. Momentum is already building with high-profile matchups and exciting story lines. The UFC is leaning into urgency with this stacked start to 2026.
The year kicks off with UFC 324 in late January. The card contains two highly anticipated fights that are set to be clashes. Justin Gaethje will be fighting Paddy Pimblett in a Lightweight battle. This is an interesting storyline as the two fighters are strong contenders in the Lightweight Division. The current champion, Ilia Topuria, and Pimblett have established a rivalry but have yet to face each other in the octagon. A win against Gaethje will get Pimblett close, if not in a title shot with Topuria. Also included in this card is a Bantamweight Division title match between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes. Harrison won the belt with a dominant performance against Julianna Pena. However, Nunes is the only woman in UFC history to have held titles in two different divisions simultaneously. She dominated the Featherweight and Bantamweight Divisions and will be a difficult opponent for Harrison.
January concludes at UFC 325 with an exciting match between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. The two have fought before, with Volkanovski taking the victory for the title back in April of this year. The 37-year-old Australian will put his belt on the line again against the 30-year-old Brazilian. Many are excited for this rematch, especially as it will be hosted in Sydney, Australia. This could add a home-field advantage for Volkanovski. February focuses on Fight Nights that are historically known to display some breakout fights. Sean Strickland will face Anthony Hernandez in his first fight back. When the fight comes, it will be a little over one year since Strickland’s loss to Dricus Du Plessis. This was a tough loss for Strickland as it was his second loss to Du Plessis and another failed shot at the title. Many are excited to see Strickland back in the octagon and ready for his high-pressure offensive style.
March moves back to pay-per-view events with UFC 326 to begin the month. The main event is a title shot for the symbolic BMF title. This will be a match between two fan favorites, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira. Holloway is coming off a statement win against Dustin Poirier and has shown that he still has juice left in the tank in the later part of his career. Oliveira is coming off a win against Mateusz Gamrot and is looking to continue to prove why he is still among the elite in the Lightweight division. There will be many more fights announced following this event in March, with many excited to see what the rest of 2026 has in store.
