Dana White surprised fans on Thursday night when he announced a huge lineup for UFC 324, which will take place on January 24, 2026, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He revealed the matchups during half-time of the Chiefs vs Cowboys Thanksgiving game on CBS, sharing the full card live on national television.The interim lightweight title bout between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje grabbed most headlines. Dana White also affirmed that Amanda Nunes will return from retirement to face Kayla Harrison, while Sean O’Malley will battle Song Yadong in a critical bantamweight bout. The news came only a few hours after lightweight champion Ilia Topuria quit the sport to pay attention to a family issue.
Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett headline UFC 324 as Amanda Nunes and Sean O’Malley join the cardOn January 24, 2026, in Las Vegas, Dana White said during the CBS broadcast that Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett would compete for the interim lightweight title.He said, “This event starts our new deal with Paramount, and it is packed with champions.” As part of the new deal, the main card will now begin at 9 p.m. ET, one hour earlier than past events.This fight became possible after Ilia Topuria announced on Thursday afternoon on X that he will not compete in the first quarter of 2026. Topuria wrote that he is “going through a difficult moment” and wants to “focus on my children.” With the champion out, Gaethje and Pimblett were the clear choices to compete for the interim title. Pimblett is on a strong win streak after beating Michael Chandler, while Gaethje last fought when he defeated Rafael Fiziev.The card grows even stronger with Amanda Nunes returning to face Kayla Harrison for the women’s bantamweight title. Nunes has not fought since she retired in June 2023, shortly after her win over Julianna Peña. Dana White called her “the greatest female fighter ever” and said this is “the biggest women’s fight we have seen.”Sean O’Malley will return to the cage two losses to Merab Dvalishvili, including a unanimous decision at UFC 306 and a submission loss in June, would help. He will meet Song Yadong, still among the most active competitors in the category. As the victor of Gaethje versus Pimblett meets Topuria once he returns to action, lightweight stars Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira, and Max Holloway will watch carefully.Also Read: Dana White’s Bold UFC White House Choice Sparks Questions As MMA Icon Gets Sidelined
