On January 24, 2026, Justin Gaethje gets another crack at UFC gold. The 37-year-old lightweight will headline UFC 324 against rising star Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a fight Gaethje intends to turn into chaos.
Justin Gaethje Ready to Spoil Paddy Pimblett’s Party at UFC 324
In his typical style, speaking to Carlos Contreras Legaspi, Gaethje laid out exactly what’s at stake. “I’m going to win, I’m going to spoil. I know that the fans probably want Paddy and Ilia like they wanted Tony and Khabib, and I’m going to f**k it up.” Gaethje is explicitly referencing one of the most infamous narrative arcs in MMA history: a fight that fans desperately wanted but never got.
The Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov matchup was scheduled five times between 2015 and 2020, yet it never materialised. Each cancellation felt like a gut punch to the fighting community. Khabib’s rib injury derailed the first attempt in 2015. Ferguson suffered blood in his lungs in 2016. Weight issues forced Khabib out again that same year. In 2018, Ferguson tripped on a cable at a press conference and tore his LCL, a moment so absurd it felt like cosmic intervention. The final blow came in 2020 when Khabib remained stuck in Russia due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. By then, the narrative had calcified: this was the fight that was never meant to be.
Gaethje faced face Ferguson at UFC 249 in May 2020. Gaethje dismantled Ferguson. The Highlight absorbed Ferguson’s trademarked forward pressure turned the fight into a five-round beatdown that left El Cucuy’s face shredded and unrecognizable. It was one of the most dominant interim title performances in UFC history.
Now, Gaethje sees the same narrative setup at UFC 324. Fans had been hoping for Ilia Topuria, the undisputed lightweight champion, to defend against Pimblett, another rising favourite with immense charisma and a genuine following. Instead, Topuria has stepped away to handle personal matters, and the UFC has created an interim title bout to fill the void. Gaethje, now at the back end of his career, has the chance to wreck those plans before they even materialise.
Pimblett, 30, has been on a devastating run. His most recent win came in April 2025 when he dominated and stopped Michael Chandler in the third round at UFC 314, putting in the most impressive performance of his career. Chandler, a former title challenger, was completely overwhelmed by Pimblett’s pace, striking, and fight IQ. After the victory, Pimblett didn’t hold back: he called out top contenders and declared his intention to become the undisputed champion. He maintains an undefeated 7-0 record inside the UFC, and a win over Gaethje would cement him as a legitimate force in the lightweight division.
The winner will likely face Topuria for the undisputed belt later in 2026. For Pimblett, it’s the moment that could propel him into genuine superstardom.
