Overview
- Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett remain booked for Jan. 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to fight for the interim lightweight belt, with the winner expected to face Ilia Topuria when he returns.
- Kayla Harrison withdrew with a neck injury, shelving her bout with Amanda Nunes and leaving the card without an undisputed title fight for the Paramount+ debut.
- Card order has drawn pushback, with Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Deiveson Figueiredo left off the main card while Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong was elevated to co-main.
- Alexander Volkanovski publicly picked Pimblett to beat Gaethje, as Gaethje vowed to “turn him into a wrestler” and Pimblett talked up targeting Topuria next.
- Fight-week buzz has intensified through viral media clips and debate over Pimblett’s résumé, as the UFC promotes earlier start times and single-platform U.S. streaming on Paramount+.