If you’ve been following the sport for more than five minutes, you know the routine. You wait for the "big" press conference, Dana White shouts some names, and then we all complain about the ticket prices. But the current UFC pay per view lineup heading into the first quarter of 2026 feels... weirdly specific. We’ve officially moved past the "transitional" era. The 2026 calendar isn't just a list of fights; it's the start of the Paramount+ era, and honestly, the shift is already messing with how people are planning their Saturday nights.
The promotion is leaning hard into rematches and "interim" titles while the undisputed kings deal with, well, reality. It’s a gamble. But with the way the early 2026 cards are shaking out, it’s a gamble that might actually pay off if you're a fan of high-level violence.
What’s Actually Coming: The Official UFC Pay Per View Lineup
Look, staying on top of which fights are actually happening and which ones are just "Dana White's Tuesday Night Dreams" is a full-time job. As of right now, the 2026 schedule is locked in through the spring with some massive headliners that tell a very specific story about where the divisions are going.
UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett (January 24, 2026)
This is the big one. T-Mobile Arena. Las Vegas. We’ve got "The Highlight" Justin Gaethje taking on Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett for the interim lightweight strap. Why interim? Because Ilia Topuria is currently sidelined with some legal drama involving an alleged extortion plot. It’s a mess. But for the fans, this is basically a guaranteed car crash in the best way possible. Pimblett has been talking a big game for years, and now he’s finally in the deep end with a guy who eats leg kicks for breakfast.
The co-main was supposed to be the GOAT, Amanda Nunes, coming out of retirement to face Kayla Harrison. Unfortunately, Harrison’s neck surgery has pushed that back, which is a massive bummer. We're still getting Sean O'Malley vs. Song Yadong on this card, though. That’s a banger.
UFC 325: Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2 (January 31, 2026)
One week later—yes, only one week—the circus moves to Sydney, Australia. Alexander Volkanovski is back on home soil. He's defending his featherweight title against Diego Lopes. If you remember their first fight at UFC 314, Lopes basically became a superstar in a losing effort. Since then, Lopes has been on a tear, most recently starching Jean Silva.
This card is deep. We’ve got:
- Dan Hooker vs. Benoit Saint Denis (Violence)
- Rafael Fiziev vs. Mauricio Ruffy (Technical Violence)
- Tai Tuivasa vs. Tallison Teixeira (Heavyweight Violence)
UFC 326: Holloway vs. Oliveira 2 (March 7, 2026)
The BMF himself, Max Holloway, returns to Las Vegas to face Charles Oliveira. This is a rematch of a fight from 2015 that ended in a weird injury. Both guys are at completely different stages of their careers now. It's essentially a #1 contender fight, even if the "interim" title is currently being fought over in January. The UFC's lightweight division is currently a giant knot that this fight is supposed to help untie.
The Paramount+ Factor: How to Actually Watch These Fights
We’ve officially moved away from the old ESPN+ exclusive window. If you're looking for the UFC pay per view lineup in the U.S., Australia, or Latin America, you're looking at Paramount+ now. It’s a huge shift. The prelims still live on the regular streaming service, but the main cards are the new flagship for the Paramount-Skydance merger.
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Honestly, the interface takes some getting used to. But if it means fewer technical glitches during the main event walkouts, I think most of us will take it.
The "White House" Rumor and the June Chaos
There was a lot of noise about a "UFC White House" event on June 14, 2026. Dana White has mostly shut down the idea of McGregor vs. Chandler happening there—which, let's be real, was never going to happen anyway—but the date is still on the calendar.
The UFC 327 card is also starting to take shape for Miami in April. We don't have a confirmed headliner yet, but rumors are swirling around a middleweight title defense. The move to Miami has become a yearly tradition because, well, the gate numbers there are insane.
Why Some Fights Fall Through
You've probably noticed that "subject to change" tag on every poster. It's not just legal fluff. Between Harrison’s neck surgery and the Topuria legal issues, the 2026 UFC pay per view lineup has already been shuffled three times since it was announced in November.
It's frustrating. You book the flights, you get the hotel in Sydney, and then the co-main event disappears. But that’s the nature of the beast. The UFC is currently trying to balance aging legends like Nunes and Oliveira with the "new guard" like Lopes and Pimblett. Sometimes the old guard's bodies don't cooperate, and sometimes the new guard gets in their own way.
Understanding the New Weight Class Dynamics
The UFC is also experimenting with more "superfights" and interim belts to keep the PPV machine moving. In 2026, the interim belt isn't just a placeholder; it’s a marketing tool. By having Gaethje and Pimblett fight for a belt, the UFC can charge the full PPV price even without the undisputed champ.
Is it "diluting" the sport? Maybe. But from a pure entertainment standpoint, having five-round main events for "silver medals" still results in some of the best fights we've seen in years. Just look at the Holloway vs. Gaethje BMF fight—nobody cared that a "real" title wasn't on the line. They just wanted to see who would be left standing.
Actionable Steps for the Fight Fan
If you're trying to actually see these fights without going broke or getting frustrated, here’s the play for 2026:
- Check the Paramount+ Bundle: Since the UFC moved, check if your mobile carrier or internet provider offers a Paramount+ sub for free. A lot of them do now.
- Wait for the "Final" Poster: Don't book non-refundable travel for a specific fighter until the "Ceremonial Weigh-ins" are about 48 hours away. Injuries are peaking in 2026 as training camps get more intense.
- Monitor the "Apex" Cards: The UFC is still doing a lot of "Fight Nights" at the Apex in Vegas. These aren't PPVs, but they often feature the guys who will be headlining the UFC pay per view lineup by the end of the year.
- Follow the Medical Reports: Fighters like Kayla Harrison and Ilia Topuria are the linchpins of the 2026 schedule. If their recovery or legal status changes, the whole January-June calendar shifts.
The reality of the UFC in 2026 is that it's more volatile than ever. The move to Paramount+ is a massive business pivot, and the promotion is desperate to make these first few cards look like "must-see" TV. Whether Paddy Pimblett can actually hold a belt or if Volkanovski can keep the young lions at bay in Sydney is yet to be seen, but the lineup is certainly not lacking in drama. Keep your eyes on the official UFC social channels, but take every "announced" fight with a grain of salt until they’re actually locked in the cage and the referee says "Fight."