On Thursday, Dana White went live on his Instagram with major breaking news regarding UFC 324. The event marks the promotion’s first under their new media rights deal with Paramount. He made the announcement during halftime of the NFL Thanksgiving clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys.
According to White, Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight championship serves as the headliner for the Jan. 24 card. The fight was booked after Ilia Topuria announced he will be taking a hiatus.
In addition, White announced that in the co-main event, bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison defends her title against former two-division champion Amanda Nunes. The event has plenty of star power, as Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong was announced as a feature bantamweight matchup.
UFC 324 will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and stream live on Paramount+. This shift from pay-per-view to streaming could generate more views for UFC events, as events will become more accessible and affordable for fans to consume.
Why Did Ilia Topuria Take a Hiatus?
Ilia Topuria made the tough decision to take a break from fighting for the time being. He didn’t want to hold up the division and felt that making his decision public would ensure it keeps moving.
Topuria won the lightweight title at UFC 317. He delivered an incredible knockout 1st round knockout over former champion Charles Oliveira. The win was significant, as ‘El Matador’ became the 10th fighter to win a UFC championship in two divisions.
Topuria took to social media and explained his reasoning. He mentioned that he is going through a difficult time in his personal life and wants to resolve those issues before he returns to competition.
“I won’t be fighting in the first quarter of next year. I’m going through a difficult moment in my personal life. I want to focus on my children and resolve this situation as soon as possible,” Topuria wrote on X. “I don’t want to hold up the division. The UFC will make the matchups needed, and as soon as the matters are resolved, I’ll let the UFC know I’m ready to begin my return.”
Topuria will not be vacating his title like it was initially believed he would. At the moment, it seems like he will challenge the winner of Gaethje vs. Pimblett when he returns.
How Long is the Media Rights Deal Between Paramount and Dana White’s UFC?
The UFC signed a very lucrative media rights deal with Paramount that will see them be a big part of their live sports programming. Their deal is for a total of $7.7 billion over seven years.
The MMA leader will produce events that will air on Paramount+, as well as a select number on CBS. There have been reports that the upcoming White House event will air on CBS in June.
For White, the deal is somewhat full circle. The UFC’s first media rights deal was with Spike TV, which is now Paramount Network. And now, he returns to the outlet that gave his promotion their first big break.
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