Paddy Pimblett has cast doubt on Justin Gaethje's hunger for the interim lightweight title ahead of their UFC 324 showdown, suggesting the veteran fighter has lost his competitive edge and is simply chasing one final payday.
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, the Liverpool fighter questioned whether Gaethje remains fully committed to the sport, pointing to his financial success as evidence of waning motivation. The comments come just days before the pair meet for the interim 155-pound championship on January 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Paddy Pimblett Questions Justin Gaethje's Motivation Ahead of UFC 324 Clash
"Justin's got a lot of money now. He's driving around in a Lamborghini," Pimblett said. "I think he's just after one last big payday, but I'm not going to underestimate him. I think everyone underestimates me and I'd never do that to anyone else. The one time I did it, years ago with Jared Gordon, I nearly got beat. So I'll never do that ever again."
The reference to his controversial unanimous decision victory over Gordon at UFC 282 in December 2022 showed a rare moment of candour from the typically confident 31-year-old. That fight saw all three judges score the bout 29-28 in Pimblett's favour despite widespread belief that Gordon had done enough to win, with fans booing the decision announcement at T-Mobile Arena.
Pimblett also challenged the narrative around Gaethje's knockout power, a trademark of the 37-year-old's career that has produced 20 knockout victories across 26 professional wins.
"People keep saying about his knockout power and I think I've got more knockout power than him," Pimblett stated. "The last person he knocked out with his hands was James Vick in like 2018 or something – they were still wearing Reebok then."
"He finishes people with the accumulation of punches, but I don't think he's going to be able to hit me that much," Pimblett added. "I'll be too fast, too elusive, too good in my range."
The interim title fight was created after current lightweight champion Ilia Topuria announced he would not compete in the first quarter of 2026 due to personal issues.
Gaethje, ranked fourth in the UFC's lightweight division, enters the fight having won his last bout against Rafael Fiziev via majority decision in March 2025. Pimblett, ranked fifth, carries a perfect 7-0 UFC record and is coming off a TKO victory over Michael Chandler in April 2025.
The fight headlines UFC 324, the first numbered event in the promotion's landmark partnership with Paramount+. The deal eliminates pay-per-view fees for fans in the United States and Latin America, with all major numbered events and UFC Fight Night cards now available exclusively on the streaming platform.
For Pimblett, the opportunity represents the culmination of a journey that began nearly 16 years ago, "I've always said that this is going to happen. I'm going to be UFC champion," he told TMZ. "So for that dream to finally come true on Saturday night, it's going to be special."