A UFC Middleweight Championship rematch between current champion Alex Pereira (also former Glory Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion) and former champion Israel Adesanya is expected to headline the event. The pairing previously met at UFC 281 in which Pereira captured the title by fifth round knockout. The two also previously met twice in kickboxing matchups. The first in April 2016 which Pereira won by unanimous decision. Their second meeting took place at Glory of Heroes 7 in March 2017 which Pereira won by third round knockout.

UFC 282: Błachowicz vs. Ankalaev was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It took place on December 10, 2022, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.

UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 16, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States. A UFC Women's Flyweight Championship rematch between current champion Alexa Grasso and former champion Valentina Shevchenko headlined the event. The pair previously met at UFC 285 in March 2023 in which Grasso captured the title via a fourth round submission upset.

UFC on ESPN 57: Cannonier vs. Imavov was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on June 8, 2024, at the KFC Yum! Centre in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. A middleweight bout between former UFC Middleweight Championship challenger Jared Cannonier and Nassourdine Imavov headlined the event.

UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili (branded as Riyadh Season Noche UFC for sponsorship reasons) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 14, 2024, at the Sphere in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States. A UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between current champion Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili headlined the event.

UFC on ESPN 64: Moreno vs. Erceg was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 29, 2025, at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. A flyweight bout between former two-time UFC Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno and former title challenger Steve Erceg headlined the event.

UFC 326: Holloway vs. Oliveira 2 was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 7, 2026, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Valley, United States.