UFC 324 Recap

The UFC recently held its first-ever event under its new deal with Paramount+. In late 2025, UFC CEO Dana White secured a massive seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights agreement with Paramount, officially ending the pay-per-view model that had defined the promotion for decades.

This deal has made UFC events far more accessible to fans. I spoke with student Devin Booth about his thoughts on the change.

“I think all the ads during the walkouts and in between fights are annoying,” Booth said, “but I’d much rather have that and pay way less than the typical PPV price.”

Paramount+ is a significantly cheaper option than spending upwards of $75 on numbered events that may not always deliver. The first card under the new deal was UFC 324, which featured an interim title fight along with several elite contenders looking to climb the rankings and earn future title shots.

Early Prelims

The early prelims were originally scheduled to include three fights, but the bantamweight bout between Ricky Turcios and Cameron Smotherman was canceled after Smotherman passed out on stage during weigh-ins.

That left two fights on the early prelim card: a welterweight matchup between Adam Fugitt (10–6–0) and Ty Miller (7–0–0, 1 NC), followed by a heavyweight bout between Josh Hokit (8–0–0) and Denzel Freeman (7–2–0).

The opening fight between Fugitt and Miller lasted just one round. Miller controlled most of the action until the final minute, when the two exchanged strikes and Miller was cut by an elbow. Near the end of the round, Miller landed a clean right hand that dropped Fugitt, then followed up with a barrage of punches to secure a TKO victory at the buzzer, marking an impressive UFC debut.

The second early prelim fight also ended in the first round. Hokit, a former NFL fullback for the San Francisco 49ers, entered the bout undefeated and carried plenty of hype. He immediately attempted a takedown, setting the tone for the fight. Hokit dominated Freeman on the ground until the referee stopped the bout in what some considered a controversial call, awarding Hokit the TKO win.

Prelims

The prelim card was originally scheduled for five fights and delivered plenty of excitement despite a late cancellation. The planned bout between Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez was scrapped due to betting irregularities.

The prelims opened with a flyweight contest between 11th-ranked Alex Perez (26–10–0) and 13th-ranked Charles Johnson (18–8–0). Perez showcased his striking dominance, applying relentless pressure and finishing Johnson via first-round TKO.

Next was a light heavyweight fight between 13th-ranked Nikita Krylov (31–11–0) and unranked Modestas Bukauskas (19–7–0). The fight unfolded at a slower pace and nearly went the distance, but Krylov surged in the final seconds of the third round, overwhelming Bukauskas and earning a late TKO victory.

The following bout featured highly anticipated prospects Ateba Gautier (10–1–0) and Andrey Pulyaev (10–4–0). Known for his first-round knockout power, Gautier was unable to finish Pulyaev but still landed several dangerous strikes. Pulyaev gained momentum as the fight progressed, but Gautier did enough to earn a decision win — the first fight on the card to go the distance.

The final prelim bout saw second-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov (20–1–0) face former UFC champion and sixth-ranked Deiveson Figueiredo (25–6–1) in a high-stakes bantamweight contest. Both fighters are strong grapplers, leading to a cautious approach early. Figueiredo appeared hesitant and struggled to deal with Nurmagomedov’s pressure. After falling behind two rounds, Figueiredo was unable to mount a comeback, and Nurmagomedov secured a decision victory.

Main Card

Despite several setbacks leading into fight week — including the cancellation of Amanda Nunes’ return due to Kayla Harrison requiring surgery — the UFC 324 main card delivered.

The action began with a featherweight bout between sixth-ranked Arnold Allen (20–4–0) and Jean Silva (17–3–0). Silva, coming off a knockout loss, faced early adversity but rallied to win the final two rounds decisively, earning a decision victory and proving he belongs among the division’s elite.

Next was a women’s flyweight clash between sixth-ranked Rose Namajunas (15–8–0) and second-ranked Natalia Silva (20–5–1). The fight was closely contested, with Namajunas showing strong striking early. However, Silva’s pressure and takedowns proved decisive, particularly in the third round, leading to a controversial but official decision win for Silva.

The heavyweight matchup featured knockout artist Derrick Lewis (29–13–0, 1 NC) against fifth-ranked Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17–2–0). Lewis pushed aggressively in the opening round but appeared fatigued in round two. After slipping during an exchange, Lewis was finished via TKO, handing Cortes-Acosta a significant win.

Promoted to co-main event status was a bantamweight fight between third-ranked Sean O’Malley (19–3–0, 1 NC) and fifth-ranked Song Yadong (22–9–1, 1 NC). O’Malley bounced back from recent losses with a strong performance, winning a competitive decision after taking control in the third round.

The main event featured an interim lightweight title bout between Justin Gaethje (27–5–0) and Paddy Pimblett (23–4–0), with the division’s undisputed champion sidelined. The five-round fight was action-packed, with Gaethje landing heavy strikes while Pimblett showed toughness and resilience. Despite a few controversial moments, Gaethje earned a decision victory and claimed the interim belt.

Student Vinny King praised the bout, saying, “It was an awesome fight that has a case for fight of the year and was a great way to start the year for the UFC.”

Overall, UFC 324 was widely considered a success. Student Collin Gentile summed it up well: “Overall I think the card was good, but it could’ve been better. Song looked strong early, but O’Malley finished stronger.”

Looking Ahead: UFC 325

Following the success of UFC 324, the promotion returns on January 31 with UFC 325. The card features notable fighters such as Dan Hooker, Benoit Saint-Denis, Rafael Fiziev, and Mauricio Ruffy. The main event will crown a featherweight champion as Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski defends his title against Diego Lopes.

Fans should mark their calendars — UFC 325 promises another night of high-level competition.