The UFC's 2026 schedule is taking shape, with several high-profile bouts already confirmed. The year kicked off on 24 January with Paddy Pimblett challenging for interim lightweight gold, but he was comprehensively outpointed by Justin Gaethje. Gaethje is now set for a unification fight against Ilia Topuria at the White House.
In February, Alexander Volkanovski retained the featherweight title by outpointing Diego Lopes for the second time. March saw Max Holloway lose his 'BMF' belt to Charles Oliveira, while April featured Carlos Ulberg knocking out Jiri Prochazka to claim the vacant light-heavyweight title in Miami.
May brought a major upset as Sean Strickland regained the middleweight belt with a points win over former teammate Khamzat Chimaev. The White House event in June will feature Topuria vs Gaethje for the undisputed lightweight title, plus Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight belt.
In July, Conor McGregor is scheduled to make his long-awaited return against Max Holloway, marking his first fight in five years. The full schedule is subject to change, with additional fights expected to be announced throughout the year.
