Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett put an exclamation point to start the UFC on Paramount era, putting on a memorable classic that will be considered perhaps the first nominee for 2026's Fight of the Year.
And now after all that violence, Gaethje took the decision in the UFC 324 main event and became a two-time interim UFC lightweight champion in the process.
The two went to a trading battle early, as both looked to control the cage and make the other taste their power. Pimblett connected with a pair of shots, only for Gaethje to respond with a solid counter. Gaethje landed a left hand that dropped Pimblett, stunning him, but Pimblett got back to the feet.
The two continued to trade, though notably Pimblett was connected with a series of leg kicks to compromise Gaethje's legs. Gaethje looked for a headlock early in round two, but Pimblett worked his way out of it. Gaethje continued his momentum, rocking Pimblett with a knee after a second front headlock and landing a barrage of ground strikes before the horn to end the second round.
Gaethje's momentum slowed during the third round, as the fight pace slowed but Pimblett's jab was on display. A strong right late in the round caught Gaethje's attention, and Gaethje attempted to respond back.
Pimblett landed a strong left early in the fourth round, but Gaethje made Pimblett taste power again with a left hook before a wrestling-style cradle on the ground briefly. Gaethje scored another knockdown immediately after by catching a kick and landing an overhand right. Gaethje rocked Pimblett with another series of bombs against the fence. Pimblett connected flush on Gaethje, only for Gaethje to answer with strong ground strikes before the end of the round.
Justin Gaethje Claims Interim Lightweight Title In War With Paddy Pimblett At UFC 324
Entering the fifth, Gaethje had the edge in significant strikes 148-134. Both connected with hard shots in the first minute of round five. Pimblett looked for a takedown, but Gaethje countered, and the two battled against the fence until there were about 100 seconds remaining.
With both men tired, Pimblett landed a strong combination that forced Gaethje to clinch. Both men landed on the inside before Gaethje pressed Pimblett against the fence again. The two threw down for the final 10 seconds, and they made it to the final horn.
Gaethje has now won four of his last six fights. Previously, Gaethje defeated Tony Ferguson for interim lightweight gold at UFC 249 but was unsuccessful in his UFC 254 unification bout with a retiring Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Pimblett tastes defeat in the Octagon for the first time since his 2021 UFC debut. This is his first loss since falling to Soren Bak in Cage Warriors in September 2018.