The first six months of the UFC calendar were among the most monumental in company history.
The promotion made its transition to the from ESPN to Paramount+ to begin the year with UFC 324 in January, and it was highlighted by a classic scrap between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. Six months later, the octagon found itself on the South Lawn of the White House where an all-time fight card unfolded. It was closed out by Gaethje, too, as he scored an epic upset of Ilia Topuria to become unified and undisputed lightweight champion.
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Before the UFC turns the page to the next half of its 2026 campaign, though, longtime correspondent Megan Olivi, who was backstage or cageside with coverage for all the key moments, joined MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn to recap what’s happened so far and give out awards for the half-year, including:
Check out the video above to see Olivi and Bohn discuss all the topics above that highlight the likes of UFC Freedom 250, multiple divisional title changes and the top performances from Gaethje, Sean Strickland, Josh Hokit and more.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Video: Megan Olivi’s 2026 half-year UFC awards and top storylines
