Gaethje vs. Pimblett to Headline 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, which will be held on January 24 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This was announced by UFC CEO Dana White. This event will mark the beginning of the new UFC domestic broadcast agreement with Paramount+ and will feature a prime time schedule at 9 p.m. ET. Ilia Topuria, current undisputed UFC lightweight champion, will keep his title, but the promotion has chosen to implement an interim title in January, after the 28-year-old fighter announced that he needed 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 mentioned the possibility of retiring if he wasn’t scheduled for a title fight. Gaethje earned his lightweight title opportunity by knocking out Dustin Poirier in 2023, but risked that opportunity in 2024 when the company needed a main event for UFC 300, where he was defeated by Max Holloway. Pimblett, with a record of 23-3, has been one of the fastest rising stars in the sport since signing with the UFC in 2021. The 30-year-old fighter from Liverpool has a record of 7-0 inside the Octagon. 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 will defend her title against former two-division champion Amanda Nunes, who is returning from retirement for her first appearance since June 2023. In addition, White announced the participation of several former UFC champions at UFC 324. Former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley will face contender Song Yadong. Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas, both former UFC champions, will meet at flyweight. Heavyweight Derrick Lewis will face the promising Waldo Cortes-Acosta, and featherweights Arnold Allen and Jean Silva will seek to climb 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 delay 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
