UFC confirms January 16 return to Dallas, its first visit since 2022

The UFC will return to Dallas for a Fight Night card on Jan. 16, 2027, at American Airlines Center, according to the promotion's own events schedule. The Dallas Morning News first reported the date on Oct. 24, after the organization notified the newspaper, and it will be the UFC's first event in the city since UFC 277 in July 2022.

No fighters have been booked for the card, and a main event is expected to be announced later. The arena's own event listing shows doors opening at 2:30 p.m. and the card beginning at 4 p.m., with general on-sale tickets going live Nov. 20 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Fans can register for presale access through UFC.com/Dallas ahead of that date.

American Airlines Center has hosted UFC events periodically since 2015. UFC 277 in July 2022, when Amanda Nunes reclaimed the women's bantamweight title with a decision win over Julianna Pena, drew 19,442 fans and stands as the highest-grossing single night in the arena's history, according to the Dallas Morning News report. Earlier visits included UFC 211 in 2017, which drew 17,834 fans and a live gate of $2,662,645, and UFC 185 in 2015, which drew 14,298 fans and a live gate of $2,155,630, both figures credited to MMA Junkie in a Hoodline report. The promotion also held UFC 228 in the city in 2018.

With the card still unannounced, the January date for now functions as a save-the-date for Dallas fans rather than a confirmed matchup, pending the UFC's next round of fight announcements.