UFC 324 Suffers 'Devastating Blow' as Paddy Pimblett Card Takes Major Hit

UFC 324 has suffered a major setback ahead of next weekend's blockbuster debut event on Paramount.

UFC 324 marks the promotion's first show of the year following a brief hiatus.

It kicks off a new media rights deal in the United States after the UFC struck a whopping $7.7 billion deal with Paramount last year.

And Dana White has stacked the card, which features a series of huge bouts, including Paddy Pimblett's interim UFC title fight.

An interim UFC lightweight championship showdown between Justin Gaethje and Pimblett headlines the Las Vegas card.

Kayla Harrison was set to defend her UFC women's bantamweight title against the returning Amanda Nunes, who is coming out of retirement, in the co-headliner.

But the highly anticipated bout between Harrison and Nunes is off UFC 324.

Kayla Harrison is reportedly out of her UFC 324 title fight against Amanda Nunes. Image: Getty

That's according to The Eagle Tribune, who claim Harrison has undergone surgery in New York to repair herniated discs in her neck.

She travelled to New York to seek treatment on her injury before UFC doctors decided she needed surgery to repair the damage done, forcing her to pull out of her title defence against Nunes.

Per the report, Harrison vs. Nunes has officially been postponed for at least six months.

Ariel Helwani later confirmed Harrison vs. Nunes is off UFC 324, calling it a 'devastating blow'.

The 35-year-old American claimed the UFC women's bantamweight title against Julianna Pena in June.

She has won three fights in a row inside the famed Octagon since joining from PFL.

Kayla Harrison won the UFC women's bantamweight title in her last appearance. Image: Getty

As for Nunes, she was set to make her MMA return at UFC 324, having called time on her legendary career after her victory over Irene Aldana in 2023.

She held the UFC women's bantamweight and UFC women's featherweight titles simultaneously at the peak of her powers.

The UFC have yet to comment on Harrison's reported injury.

Who else is fighting on UFC 324?

Harrison's withdrawal from UFC 324 is a huge setback given it's the company's first show on Paramount.

But UFC 324 is still loaded with massive fights, including Sean O'Malley vs. Song Yadong, which could now be promoted to the co-main event slot.

Surging heavyweight star Waldo Cortes-Acosta faces knockout artist Derrick Lewis, while top UFC featherweight contender Arnold Allen returns against Jean Silva.

Elsehere on the card, Natalia Silva meets Rose Namajunas and Umar Nurmagomedov takes on Deiveson Figueiredo.