Now that UFC 323 has its championship main and co-main events (see them here), it’s safe to assume that any UFC titleholder not already booked for 2025 will not be returning until 2026 — which just so happens to mark the debut of the promotion’s new streaming deal with Paramount+ and CBS.
Expect a fairly “ambitious” schedule moving forward.
“Matchmaking was today, and we started working on the first Paramount card today,” White told reporters at the “Contender Series” media scrum on Tuesday night.
“We’re always going to try to put on the best cards that we can. We’ve had a great relationship with ESPN, and we were talking earlier, everybody is already starting to feel it. They’ve been great to us, and they’ve been great to the sport. We want to put on a badass last card for them.”
Let’s hope it’s not this one.
No fights have been confirmed just yet; however, White said the inclusion of UFC lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, is “a possibility” for the Paramount+ main event. That said, matchmakers still have to figure out ”El Matador’s” next opponent, which could be either Paddy Pimblett or Justin Gaethje.
White also needs top talent for UFC White House.
In addition to UFC events, White and Co. are expected t0 bring “Contender Series” to the network at some point next year, along with TKO Boxing. Let’s just hope the rumored “star problem” does not prevent the promotion from filling up the near-weekly fight cards expected for Paramount+ when the deal becomes official in 2026.
