Each passing day, UFC 324 appears to be drifting deeper into controversy. Booking decisions are now being questioned both inside and outside the sport. Placing a top-ranked contender on the prelims says a lot about the direction the promotion seems to be taking as 2026 unfolds.

Max Holloway did not hide his surprise when he learned that Umar Nurmagomedov, the No. 2-ranked bantamweight contender, was booked to face former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo on the preliminary card. With a top contender and a former titleholder sharing the cage, the immediate question followed. Why was a fight of that caliber pushed to the prelims?

The timing has only amplified the confusion. The UFC’s year has already hit turbulence after the highly anticipated Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes matchup was scrapped due to Harrison’s neck injury. Now, keeping one of the promotion’s fastest-rising Dagestani fighters off the main card has fueled further debate about where UFC priorities truly lie heading into 2026.

When prelims at UFC 324 steal the spotlight

Holloway did not sugarcoat his disbelief when reacting publicly to the matchup. “I cannot believe Umar is on the undercard. This should be a super fun fight,” Holloway said. “I know Umar is a beast.”

That reaction captured what many fans and fighters immediately felt. A bout featuring the No. 2 contender at bantamweight against a former champion is typically reserved for the brightest lights, not the prelims.

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Even so, Holloway’s comments also hinted at why the fight may be more competitive than the odds suggest. While Umar Nurmagomedov enters as a heavy favorite, Deiveson Figueiredo is not approaching the matchup as a one-dimensional striker.

The former flyweight champion has openly discussed his desire to finish fights by knockout or submission. Predicting a submission attempt against a Dagestani grappler sounds bold on paper. Still, it suggests Figueiredo has been investing serious work into his transitions and ground defense, knowing exactly where Nurmagomedov is most dangerous.

Deiveson Figueiredo unfazed by Umar Nurmagomedov threat ahead

For Deiveson Figueiredo, UFC 324 represents unfamiliar territory. The former flyweight champion faces one of the most difficult stylistic challenges of his bantamweight run when he meets Nurmagomedov.

Figueiredo has acknowledged Nurmagomedov’s grappling strengths, but he has made it clear that intimidation is not part of the equation. “He’s a great fighter. He wants to grapple and take me down,” Figueiredo said. “Go right ahead. I come from grappling, but I’m a true striker.” That confidence carries into his approach. Figueiredo understands that allowing extended control on the mat would play directly into Nurmagomedov’s strengths. Preventing that scenario is the foundation of his plan.

“You have to make sure your takedown defense is on point,” he explained. “You prevent that from happening, and you beat him up.” Figueiredo’s success hinges on keeping his back off the fence, where Nurmagomedov’s chain wrestling becomes suffocating and momentum shifts quickly. If he succeeds, Figueiredo believes his power can change the fight in an instant.

However, the placement could produce an unintended outcome for the UFC. Big-name fights on the preliminary card often draw viewers in earlier than usual, turning the undercard into required viewing rather than background noise.

Whether intentional or not, UFC 324’s prelims have suddenly become one of the most talked-about portions of the event. The placement has sparked debate, shifted the spotlight to the prelims, and raised questions about how the promotion values contenders in a year already marked by uncertainty.

Situations like this often create friction between rankings and presentation. In combat sports, placement is read as status, and when contenders appear on prelims, it can feel like momentum is being stalled rather than accelerated. That tension between competitive merit and promotional strategy is exactly what this booking has reignited.

Once the cage door closes, none of that will matter. What will matter is whether Umar Nurmagomedov continues his rise, or whether Deiveson Figueiredo proves that experience and power still belong under the brightest lights.