In a stunning development for British mixed martial arts, Liverpool's own Paddy Pimblett will compete for UFC gold for the first time this January, though not against the opponent most expected.
Surprise Title Fight Announcement
UFC president Dana White confirmed on Thursday that Pimblett will face American veteran Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 324 on 24 January. This announcement came as a genuine surprise to the MMA community, who had anticipated Pimblett would challenge reigning champion Ilia Topuria.
The situation leaves several unanswered questions, particularly regarding Topuria's absence. The Spanish-Georgian champion recently claimed the UFC hadn't approached him about his next fight, despite expectations he would headline the promotion's first event on its new broadcast platform, Paramount+.
The Combatants' Paths to Gold
For Pimblett, this represents the culmination of an impressive undefeated run in the UFC. The 30-year-old Liverpudlian maintains a perfect 7-0 record since joining the promotion in 2021. His most recent victory saw him dominantly stop former Bellator champion Michael Chandler in April.
Gaethje, meanwhile, seeks to reclaim the interim title he held five years ago. The 37-year-old 'Highlight' won the interim belt by stopping Tony Ferguson in May 2020, though he lost the unification bout against undisputed champion Khabib Nurmagomedov five months later. Earlier this year, Gaethje threatened retirement if he didn't receive a title shot, despite currently riding only a one-fight win streak after outpointing Rafael Fiziev in March.
Topuria's Curious Absence and Stacked UFC 324 Card
Topuria last competed in June, spectacularly knocking out former champion Charles Oliveira in the first round to claim the vacant lightweight title. The 28-year-old had previously relinquished the featherweight belt in February. His ongoing grudge with Pimblett dates back to 2022, when Topuria confronted the Englishman over tweets he alleged were anti-Georgian.
UFC 324 features several other compelling matchups beyond the main event:
- Kayla Harrison defends the women's bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes, who emerges from retirement
- Former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley takes on Song Yadong
- Ex-flyweight king Deiveson Figueiredo battles Umar Nurmagomedov
- Previous women's champions Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas square off
British fight fans will eagerly await Pimblett's opportunity to become the UK's latest UFC champion, though the circumstances surrounding Topuria's unavailability continue to generate speculation throughout the combat sports world.
