New start time! Numbered UFC events are moving from 10pm to 9pm on Paramount+

East coast fans, rejoice! For UFC numbered events will now start an hour earlier, which means they’re gonna end an hour earlier.

For years and years, the UFC has started the majority of their events at 10pm E.T. (7pm PT), leading to many main events only getting going around 1am. That may have made sense way back in the day when the only people watching the sport were degenerates, and it made sense to hide the savagery of the sport in the wee hours of the morning.

But these days the UFC has been accepted into the cultural zeitgeist and now legitimately competes with other major sports. Why, in a world where you want as many people as possible to see the best fights on your cards, would you schedule cards so the main event doesn’t start until well after midnight?

With the UFC moving from ESPN to Paramount / CBS in January 2026, a change is happening. UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett was announced by Dana White on Instagram with the pay-per-view starting at 9pm E.T., and barring special events scheduled in other international areas, that is how things will be for numbered events moving forward.

So not only is pay-per-view leaving us in 2026, UFC events will be starting and ending earlier. While there may be some things to criticize as the promotion unveils their opening run of events for January, we definitely won’t complain about the new and improved event start time!