Not only does Saturday night mark the UFC's 2026 opener, but it also serves as a landmark evening of change.
After using ESPN and ABC as its broadcast partner, UFC president Dana White struck an even bigger deal with CBS Paramount for $7.7 billion over seven years.
Paramount+ will serve as the exclusive home for all UFC events in the United States, freeing fans and gamblers from the hated pay-per-view format that many found offensive. All UFC events will be included as part of a regular Paramount+ subscription.
Eventually, Paramount+ will expand its international coverage.
The partnership between the UFC and Paramount+ opens with a blockbuster Saturday night. UFC 324 features five bouts with all ten combatants ranked in the Top 10.
The main event is the lightweight interim title bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett.
Gaethje and Pimblett are two of the most popular fighters in the UFC. With such a loaded card, season-opening excitement, and a championship fight, betting traffic opened with a stampede that only figures to increase up to fight time. For the latest and best info on MMA wagering check out this UFC betting guide.
UFC 324 Fight Preview
On Saturday, January 26, 2026, UFC 324 is scheduled for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, at 9 p.m. ET, with coverage on Paramount+.
UFC 324 Betting Odds
- #4 Justin Gaethje +186 vs. #5 Paddy Pimblett -245
- #3 Sean O’Malley -215 vs. #5 Song Yadong +164
- #5 Waldo Cortes Acosta -310 vs. #8 Derrick Lewis +230
- #2 Natalia Silva -440 vs. #6 Rose Namajunas +310
- 6 Arnold Allen +230 vs. #10 Jean Silva -310
UFC 324 Predictions
- Although Justin Gaethje is respected and a former champion, Paddy Pimblett is in much better form and is a reasonably priced favorite.
- Sean O’Malley may be coming off two losses, but they were championship bouts.
- O’Malley is a former champion with a much more impressive resume than Song Yadong.
- Derrick Lewis offers strong value as a veteran enjoying a career resurgence.
UFC 324 PRIME Best Bets: Paddy Pimblett, Sean O’Malley, Derrick Lewis
UFC 324 Head-to-Head and Key Stats
- Justin Gaethje has a career record of 26-5.
- Paddy Pimblett stands at 23-3 for his career.
- Previously, Justin Gaethje was the UFC interim lightweight champion.
- Gaethje is a former UFC BMF titleholder.
- Gaethje lost three of his most recent seven bouts.
- Gaethje is coming off a unanimous decision win over Rafael Fiziev on March 8, 2025, in Las Vegas.
- Paddy Pimblett is a former Cage Warriors featherweight champion and is riding a 9-bout winning streak.
- Last time out, Pimblett won a 3rd-round TKO against Michael Chandler in Miami, FL, on April 12, 2025.
- Overall, Sean O’Malley has a career record of 18-3.
- Song Yadong enters the octagon with a career mark of 22-8-1 with 1 NC.
- Sean O’Malley was the UFC bantamweight champion and is coming off two bantamweight championship fight losses.
- First, on September 14, 2024, O’Malley lost a unanimous decision to Merab Dvalishvili in Las Vegas, NV.
- Next, on June 7, 2025, O’Malley lost a 3rd-round submission against Dvalishvili in Newark, NJ.
- Song Yadong has won three of his last four bouts.
- Last time out, Yadong won a 3rd-round TKO against Henry Cejudo in Seattle, WA.
- Waldo Cortes Acosta has a career record of 16-2.
- Derrick Lewis is 29-12 with 1 NC.
- Waldo Cortes Acosta won seven of his last eight bouts, including his last two bouts.
- Derrick Lewis has the UFC record for most knockouts in UFC history at 16.
- Lewis has won three of his most recent four bouts, including his last two bouts.
- Rose Namajunas has a career record of 15-7.
- Natalia Silva has a career record of 19-5-1.
- Arnold Allen has a career mark of 20-3.
- Jean Silva stands at 16-3 for his career.
