By Alison Rosen | January 25, 2026
UFC 324 Fights Tonight: Interim lightweight title clash headlines Paramount+’s first exclusive UFC event Saturday night. UFC 324 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, featuring one of the most anticipated matchups of the month as Paddy Pimblett looks to claim interim gold against Justin Gaethje.
Start Times and Where to Watch
UFC 324 goes live Saturday, January 24, 2026. Here’s the full schedule:
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 5:30pm ET / 2:30pm PT | Early Prelims |
| 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT | Preliminary Card |
| 9:00pm ET / 6:00pm PT | Main Card |
The entire event streams exclusively on Paramount+. You don’t need to pay extra for a PPV if you have either Paramount+ Essential ($8.99/month) or Paramount+ with Showtime ($13.99/month).
Main Card Fights
Interim Lightweight Title: Justin Gaethje vs Paddy Pimblett
Gaethje brings veteran experience and knockout power to face the undefeated Pimblett, who’s riding momentum through the UFC ranks. This interim title fight carries real championship implications, with the winner positioning themselves as the next challenger at 155 pounds.
Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley vs Song Yadong
O’Malley looks to bounce back after consecutive losses, facing ranked contender Song Yadong. Both fighters need a win to stay relevant in the title picture at 135 pounds. This matchup features two stylistically different approaches technical striking versus aggressive pressure.
Heavyweight: Derrick Lewis vs Waldo Cortes Acosta
Lewis brings his knockout power and UFC record for most KOs to face the rising Cortes Acosta. A win here keeps Lewis in the heavyweight conversation while a victory for Cortes Acosta could vault him into the top 10 conversation.
Women’s Strawweight: Rose Namajunas vs Natalia Silva
Former strawweight champion Namajunas faces surging contender Silva in a fight with title implications. Both need wins to get back into championship conversation at 115 pounds.
Featherweight: Arnold Allen vs Jean Silva
Top-10 featherweight Allen returns after 18 months away to face aggressive Brazilian Silva. This fight matters for title positioning in a crowded featherweight division.
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Preliminary Card Highlights
The prelims feature some solid matchups worth catching early:
- Umar Nurmagomedov vs Deiveson Figueiredo – Bantamweight clash between elite grappler Nurmagomedov and power finisher Figueiredo
- Nikita Krylov vs Modestas Bukauskas – Light heavyweight battle with submission threat Krylov taking on striker Bukauskas
- Ateba Gautier vs Andrey Pulyaev – Rising middleweight Gautier brings heavy knockout power against veteran Pulyaev
Fight Card Changes
The Michael Johnson vs Alexander Hernandez lightweight bout got canceled from tonight’s card. The co-main event also saw major changes when Kayla Harrison withdrew after being diagnosed with herniated discs requiring surgery. Alexa Grasso also pulled out due to injury, leading to Natalia Silva stepping in on short notice for the Namajunas fight.
What to Know Before You Watch
Paramount+ has made this UFC exclusive event free for subscribers on both their Essential and Premium plans. No extra PPV purchase needed. If you’re not subscribed yet, you can sign up and watch the main card starting at 9pm ET.
The interim lightweight title fight between Gaethje and Pimblett is the real draw tonight. Gaethje’s looking to prove he belongs in the title conversation while Pimblett tries to become the first Irish fighter to win UFC gold. Don’t expect a boring decision both guys come forward and throw heavy shots.
Coming Up Next
UFC 325 happens the following Saturday, January 31, with Alexander Volkanovski facing Diego Lopes 2. Main card kicks off at 9pm ET that night as well.
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