Two Massive UFC Title Fights Targeted For Early 2024 [UPDATE]

The UFC's Q1 schedule is beginning to take shape.

Zain Bando | Nov 5, 2023

Two Massive UFC Title Fights Targeted For Early 2024 [UPDATE] /

UPDATE: UFC CEO Dana White has refuted Ariel Helwani's report of Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira 2 being targeted for UFC 297.

ORIGINAL:

Although two UFC pay-per-views remain in 2023, the UFC's 2024 schedule is already in motion.

After the promotion wraps up the year, the focus will shift to January and UFC 297, targeted for Toronto, Canada, according to multiple sources.

The event was penciled in for Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria. Still, MMAFighting's Ariel Helwani revealed that the promotion is tabbing a rescheduled bout between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira for the lightweight strap as the night's main event.

The Volkanovski-Topuria featherweight title bout will be moved to UFC 298, marking the promotion's February event. While UFC 284 took place in Australia earlier in the year, Dana White wants to be part of the Super Bowl festivities and host an event the same weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, as an appetizer for the NFL finale.

At press time, neither a date nor venue has been confirmed for UFC 298. However, UFC 297 is expected to take place Jan. 20

Makhachev was expected to face Oliveira last month in Abu Dhabi before an eye injury forced the former lightweight champion to withdraw. Volkanovski stepped in on 11 days' notice, losing the fight after a vicious first-round head kick ended any hopes of becoming a two-division champion.

2024 will also see the UFC's 300th event, likely in April. It is unlikely whether or not the promotion will showcase any of the above fighters mentioned, but Q1, if all goes according to plan, could be a springboard to one of the most significant years in company history.

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Published Nov 5, 2023

ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99