Overview
- UFC 324 is set for Jan. 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will compete for the interim lightweight title while undisputed champion Ilia Topuria remains on hiatus.
- Gaethje says he must "fight perfect" for 25 minutes and aims to knock out Pimblett to secure a unification shot, targeting the UFC's planned White House card in 2026.
- Sportsbooks list Pimblett as the favorite at roughly -215 with Gaethje around +185, a role Gaethje says he welcomes given his past success as an underdog.
- Positioning the matchup as striker versus grappler, Gaethje claims significant jiu-jitsu and takedown-defense improvements since his 2022 loss to Charles Oliveira, while Pimblett enters unbeaten in the UFC with a signature TKO of Michael Chandler.
- The winner is widely expected to face Topuria upon his return, and Topuria has voiced doubt that Gaethje can defeat Pimblett, suggesting the UFC could pursue different plans if Gaethje prevails.