TLDR
- UFC 324 takes place Saturday as the first event under the UFC’s new Paramount partnership
- Justin Gaethje faces Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight championship in the main event
- The planned women’s bantamweight title fight between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes was canceled due to Harrison’s neck surgery
- The card features 13 fights total with 13 ranked fighters across multiple divisions
- Analysts debate whether the card is strong enough to launch UFC’s new era despite losing the championship bout
Sources: Bloody Elbow | Sherdog | MMA Weekly
UFC 324 will mark the start of the UFC’s partnership with Paramount on Saturday, but the event lost its original main event when champion Kayla Harrison pulled out due to neck surgery. The promotion added an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett to headline the card.
The Harrison vs Amanda Nunes women’s bantamweight championship bout was scheduled to cap off the first numbered UFC event of 2026. Harrison’s injury forced the UFC to postpone the fight and create an interim title at 155 pounds instead.
Gaethje, 26-5, is a veteran fighter who has competed for UFC titles before. Pimblett, 23-3, has risen quickly through the lightweight ranks and will get his first shot at UFC gold.
UFC 324 roundtable: Is Paramount era kicking off with a dud?: It’s been six weeks since UFC fans have gotten their fix, and, really, one question still lingers: How hype are you for UFC 324? On paper, this Saturday’s effort has all… https://t.co/JNS9QbyxdQ #ytb #news #samurai pic.twitter.com/fWCe1kqYsx
— @samuraijitsu (@samuraijitsu1) January 19, 2026
Full Fight Card Features 13 Bouts
The complete UFC 324 card includes 13 fights spanning multiple weight classes. Former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley faces Yadong Song in the co-main event, with O’Malley potentially earning another title shot with a win.
Other featured bouts include Rose Namajunas vs Natalia Silva and heavyweight veteran Derrick Lewis against Waldo Cortes-Acosta. The card also features Umar Nurmagomedov taking on former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
Arnold Allen will face Jean Silva in a featherweight matchup. The preliminary card includes fighters like Michael Johnson, Alex Perez, and Nikita Krylov.
MMA analysts Keith Shillan and Ben Duffy recorded a preview covering all 13 fights with predictions for each bout. Their analysis runs over two hours and breaks down matchups from the early prelims through the main event.
🚨 Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong is in the works (Per @SongYadongLFG) #UFC324 is predicted to take place in California but no official date or location. #ufc #seanomalley pic.twitter.com/TwPiRrR7r8
— West Till Death (@WestTillDeath) October 14, 2025
Debate Over Card Strength
MMA media members have discussed whether UFC 324 is strong enough to launch the Paramount era. The card features no undisputed title fights, which is unusual for a major January event.
Alexander K. Lee compared UFC 324 to recent January pay-per-views dating back to 2020. He noted the card compares well when looking at total depth, with 13 ranked fighters and multiple potential title eliminator bouts.
Mike Heck rated UFC 324 as one of the top two January numbered events since 2020 in terms of overall card quality. He acknowledged the loss of Harrison vs Nunes hurt the card but said the depth remains strong.
Jed Meshew argued the card works better for casual fans than hardcore followers. He said the UFC built the event to attract new viewers on Paramount rather than satisfy longtime fans.
The main event winner will hold interim status while undisputed champion Ilia Topuria remains sidelined. Topuria holds the lightweight title but has not competed since his last defense.
Analysts noted that Islam Makhachev, a former lightweight champion now competing at welterweight, could return to 155 pounds in the future. Arman Tsarukyan also remains a top contender in the division.
This marks the first UFC event in six weeks, following the UFC 323 card in late 2025. The card airs on Paramount without the traditional pay-per-view paywall under the new broadcast deal.
