Paramount+ reveals date of first UFC fight
Paramount+ reveals date of first UFC fight
The streamer will air UFC 324 before the end of January to all viewers with a subscription to either plan.
Hopefully it was a happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrated this year, but UFC fans got an extra treat on Turkey Day. That came in the form of an announcement from Paramount+, the streaming service that will host all UFC events starting in 2026. The announcement revealed when viewers should expect to see the first UFC fight night on Paramount+, toward the end of January.
Key Details:
- Hurry up: UFC 324 will stream on Paramount+ on Jan. 24.
- Major card: There are currently two championship fights scheduled for the UFC 324 card.
- First of many: UFC 324 will be the first of 13 numbered events to stream on Paramount+ in 2026.
The first numbered UFC event slated to stream on Paramount+ will be UFC 324, which is scheduled to air on Saturday, Jan. 24 on the streamer. The evening’s festivities will be presented live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the site of so many past UFC events.
UFC 324 has two championship bouts on its card: the main event featuring a UFC lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and current belt holder Paddy Pimblett, as well as a women’s bantamweight championship between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes, who is returning to the Octagon for the first time since 2023.
“Paramount+ and UFC are transforming the mixed martial arts fan experience,” Paramount executive Cindy Holland said in a statement. “Every division of Paramount is working in concert to ensure maximum visibility and unparalleled accessibility to current and future fans–making Paramount+ the definitive home of UFC.”
Paramount first snagged the rights to UFC events starting in 2026 in August, stealing them away from their former home of ESPN+. Unlike that platform, Paramount+ will not charge any kind of pay-per-view fees to allow customers to watch UFC fights; they will be available to all customers with any Paramount+ subscription.
UFC CEO Dana White said:
“Saturday, January 24th in Las Vegas kicks off this incredible partnership with Paramount. I am so excited for UFC fans that our first card has six current and former champions, including the long-awaited return of the greatest female fighter of all time - which is definitely the biggest women’s fight ever. Also, in the main event we have Justin Gaethje versus Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title to see who will face Ilia Topuria later this year on Paramount+. This card is absolutely stacked - every fight is a must-see. This deal is such a huge win for fans with no more pay-per-view. I look forward to 2026 being our best year ever.”
Netflix and other outlets were reportedly pursuing UFC rights hard, but Paramount was the ultimate winner of that particular bidding war. Now, fans can look forward to the first numbered UFC event slated to hit Paramount+ at the end of January.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.