Overview
- UFC 324 on Jan. 24 will feature Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight championship, officially announced for the promotion’s first Paramount+ CBS card.
- Ilia Topuria is on a personal and legal hiatus with an earliest expected return in the first quarter of 2026, creating uncertainty around a unification date.
- Pimblett told ESPN Deportes he believes Topuria may have to vacate if he is not back by June or July, saying he could be recognized as undisputed without a unification bout.
- Dana White said Arman Tsarukyan remains with the UFC but must re-earn his position after withdrawing from a UFC 311 title bout due to a back injury, adding that “Arman knows” why he was bypassed.
- Pimblett escalated his feud with Tsarukyan with fresh insults, as some fighters and commentators, including Usman Nurmagomedov, questioned the decision to bypass the No. 1 contender for the interim title fight.