Gaethje vs. Pimblett to Headline UFC 324 for Interim Lightweight Title
The highly anticipated interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will headline UFC 324 on January 24 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The announcement was made by UFC CEO Dana White. This event will mark the beginning of the new national UFC broadcast agreement with Paramount+, and the main card will begin at 9 p.m. ET. Ilia Topuria, current undisputed lightweight champion, will not participate in this event. Topuria, 28 years old, announced that he needs time off for personal reasons.Gaethje, with a record of 26-5, is coming off a decision victory against Rafael Fiziev in March. The 37-year-old fighter had expressed his possible retirement if a title fight was not scheduled for his next appearance. Gaethje earned a lightweight title shot after knocking out Dustin Poirier in 2023, but risked that opportunity in 2024 by accepting a fight against Max Holloway at UFC 300, where he suffered a knockout loss in the fifth round. Pimblett, with a record of 23-3, has been one of the fastest rising stars since he signed with the UFC in 2021. According to White, the interim title winner is expected to face Topuria in a unification fight later this year. In the co-main event of UFC 324, women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison (19-1) will defend her title against former two-division champion Amanda Nunes (23-5), who is coming out of 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 Chinese contender Song Yadong. Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas will meet at flyweight. Heavyweight Derrick Lewis will face the promising Waldo Cortes Acosta, and featherweights Arnold Allen and Jean Silva will seek to move up in the 145-pound division.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
