Gaethje vs. Pimblett Headlines UFC 324 for Interim Title
The expected interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will be the main event of UFC 324. The announcement was made by UFC CEO Dana White, marking a milestone for mixed martial arts fans. The event, scheduled for January 24th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will be the first under UFC’s new domestic broadcast agreement with Paramount+, with a prime time slot at 9 p.m. ET. The decision to implement an interim title comes after the current undisputed lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, announced that he needed to take some time off for personal reasons.Gaethje, with a record of 26-5, hasn’t fought since his decision victory against Rafael Fiziev in March. The 37-year-old fighter had expressed his possible retirement if he wasn’t offered a title fight in his next appearance. Gaethje earned his title opportunity by knocking out Dustin Poirier in 2023, but risked that opportunity in 2024 by accepting a fight against Max Holloway, where he suffered a knockout loss in the fifth round. Pimblett, one of the fastest rising talents since his arrival in the UFC in 2021, has a 7-0 record inside the octagon. The 30-year-old Liverpool fighter has achieved significant victories over Tony Ferguson and Michael Chandler. According to White, the interim title winner will face Topuria in a unification fight later in the year. In the co-main event of UFC 324, women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison will defend her title against former two-division champion Amanda Nunes, who is returning from retirement for her first fight since June 2023. In addition, White announced the participation of several former UFC champions at UFC 324. Sean O’Malley will face Song Yadong, while Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas will compete in flyweight. The event will also include the match between Derrick Lewis and Waldo Cortes-Acosta, and the featherweight bout between Arnold Allen and Jean Silva.I will not fight in the first quarter of next year. I am going through a difficult time in my personal life. I want to focus on my children and resolve this situation as soon as possible. I don’t want to hold up the division. The UFC will make the necessary fights, and as soon as the issues are resolved, I will let the UFC know that I am ready to begin my return.
Ilia Topuria
