The Ultimate Fighting Championship is officially heading back to the Lone Star State to ring in the new year. During the live broadcast of UFC 336 on Saturday, promotion officials pulled back the curtain on their early 2027 schedule, announcing a major return to Dallas, Texas, set for January 16, 2027.
While the promotion left fight fans guessing about the marquee matchups, confirming that no main event or supporting bouts have been finalized yet, the venue is locked in. The action-packed Fight Night card will emanate from the prominent American Airlines Center, bringing elite mixed martial arts back to a city with a rich and storied history with the organization.
Dallas has long served as a welcoming home for the world’s premier MMA promotion. Saturday’s announcement marks the seventh time the organization has brought an event to the Texas metropolis. The promotion’s most recent visit to the city came back in 2022, a memorable night that played host to UFC 277. That pay-per-view card was anchored by a high-stakes, highly anticipated bantamweight rematch between fierce rivals Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes. In a phenomenal display of skill and resilience, Nunes emerged victorious, reclaiming her throne and cementing her legacy in a bout that captivated the combat sports world.
Prior to that unforgettable 2022 championship showdown, Dallas also played host to another massive pay-per-view spectacle in 2018. UFC 228 saw then-welterweight champion Tyron Woodley put his title on the line against the explosive British challenger Darren Till. Woodley delivered a masterclass performance inside the Octagon, successfully defending his crown and further solidifying his dominant reign over the 170-pound division. With such a robust history of delivering explosive and memorable fight cards to the city, expectations will undoubtedly run high for the upcoming January return, even as fans await the official announcement of the athletes who will step into the cage.
For local supporters and traveling fans looking to secure their spot inside the arena, tickets for the promotion’s latest trip to Dallas are expected to officially go on sale next month. As the organization finalizes the remaining details for the Fight Night card, the countdown to January 16 has officially begun, promising an electric start to the combat sports calendar in Texas.
Meanwhile, the transition from the outgoing year into the new campaign is shaping up to be a monumental period for the organization, characterized by high-stakes battles and divisional shake-ups. The promotion will officially close the book on its 2026 schedule in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC 335 will light up the T-Mobile Arena, anchored by a thrilling and symbolic championship headliner. In that high-profile matchup, former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is set to collide with rising superstar Diego Lopes, with the promotion’s iconic and symbolic "BMF" (Baddest Motherf—er) title hanging in the balance.
As the calendar turns, the early months of 2027 are quickly taking definitive shape, featuring a powerful tandem of blockbuster events in January. Following the Dallas Fight Night on January 16, the promotion will cross the border to Canada just two weeks later. Toronto, Ontario, is slated to host UFC 336 on January 30, a major pay-per-view event that already has significant championship implications secured.
During the very same Saturday broadcast that revealed the Dallas return, UFC officials treated fans to a massive double-announcement by unveiling two crucial fights slated for the upcoming Toronto card. The UFC 336 lineup will be anchored by a thrilling flyweight championship showdown. Dominant flyweight champion Joshua Van is set to headline the event, putting his coveted world title on the line against top-tier challenger Manel Kape in what promises to be a high-paced, high-stakes affair.
In addition to the flyweight title fight, the Toronto co-main event will address a critical division snapshot. Carlos Prates and Michael Morales are officially scheduled to face off inside the Octagon for an interim welterweight title. This high-impact pairing became necessary after undisputed champion Islam Makhachev was unable to accept a date for the card, opening the door for two of the division’s most dynamic contenders to battle for interim gold and position themselves at the very top of the 170-pound hierarchy.
With the early 2027 schedule rapidly filling out with major events in Las Vegas, Dallas, and Toronto, the promotion is wasting no time delivering marquee matchups and high-profile cards to fans around the globe as the new year approaches.
