Ranked flyweight contenders added to UFC 324

UFC 324 continues to add depth as the promotion kicks off the Paramount era.

MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz and Mike Heck confirmed with sources with knowledge of the matchup that Alex Perez (25-10) and Charles Johnson (18-7) are set to meet in a flyweight bout at the Jan. 24 show, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The bout was first teased by Johnson on his social media.

Both flyweights are currently ranked in the top 15 of the UFC’s official rankings.

Perez makes a quick turnaround following a third-round submission loss to Asu Almabayev in November. The 14-year veteran has dealt with numerous bout cancellations in recent years and looks to return to the form that once had him challenging Deiveson Figueiredo for the flyweight title at UFC 255 in 2020. He has fought just five times since then, winning once in that stretch.

Johnson has continued to establish himself as one of the toughest outs in the flyweight division. “InnerG” returned to the win column with a second-round knockout of Lone’er Kavanagh this past August and has won five of his past six fights, including a knockout of Joshua Van, who battles Alexandre Pantoja for the 125-pound title this Saturday at UFC 323.

UFC 324 is headlined by a pair of title fights as Justin Gaethje fights Paddy Pimblett for an interim lightweight championship in the main event, while the co-headliner sees bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison defend against the returning Amanda Nunes.

The event will be the first UFC show to air on Paramount+.