Gaethje vs. Pimblett to headline UFC 324 for the interim title
The expected interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will be the main event of UFC 324, to be held on January 24 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This was announced by UFC CEO Dana White. The event will mark the beginning of UFC’s new national broadcast agreement with Paramount+, and the main card will begin at 9 p.m. ET. White revealed the news during the NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys. Ilia Topuria, current undisputed UFC lightweight champion, will keep his title, but the promotion decided to implement an interim title in January, after the 28-year-old fighter announced he needed some time off for personal reasons.Gaethje (26-5) hasn’t fought since his decision victory against Rafael Fiziev in March. The 37-year-old fighter had stated that he would likely retire from MMA if the UFC didn’t schedule him a title fight in his next appearance. Gaethje earned a lightweight title shot by knocking out Dustin Poirier in 2023, but risked it in 2024 when the company needed a main event for UFC 300. Gaethje accepted a BMF fight against Max Holloway and suffered a knockout loss in the fifth round. Gaethje, who trains in Denver, won an interim championship by knocking out Tony Ferguson in 2020. He failed to unify the titles against Khabib Nurmagomedov that same year. Pimblett (23-3) has been one of the fastest rising stars in the sport since signing with the UFC in 2021. The 30-year-old Liverpool fighter has a 7-0 record inside the Octagon with notable wins over Ferguson and Michael Chandler. 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 to make her first appearance since June 2023. In addition, White announced that several former UFC champions will appear at UFC 324. Former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley (18-3) will face contender Song Yadong (22-8-1). Alexa Grasso (16-5-1) and Rose Namajunas (15-7), both former UFC champions, will meet at flyweight. Heavyweight Derrick Lewis (29-12) will face the promising contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta (16-2), and ranked featherweights Arnold Allen (20-3) and Jean Silva (16-3) will seek to continue their rise 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 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
