TLDR
- Paddy Pimblett lost to Justin Gaethje via unanimous decision at UFC 324, suffering his first UFC defeat
- Pimblett called for a future rematch in a YouTube video, congratulating Gaethje on his interim title win
- The fighter claimed eye pokes from fingernails damaged his eyeballs during the fight
- Pimblett acknowledges rematch chances are slim due to Gaethje being in the late stages of his career
- Dan Hooker is being considered as a potential next opponent for Pimblett’s return to the octagon
Sources: Fighters Only | EssentiallySports | BJPenn.com
Paddy Pimblett has called for a future rematch with Justin Gaethje one week after suffering his first UFC defeat at UFC 324. The Liverpool fighter lost via unanimous decision in the main event as Gaethje captured the interim lightweight championship.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Pimblett congratulated Gaethje but made it clear he wants another opportunity to face him. “Congrats to Justin Gaethje,” Pimblett said. “I did say before the fight ‘I want the best version of Justin Gaethje’ and that Justin Gaethje turned up, so hats off to him.”
Pimblett expressed hope that Gaethje will defeat current champion Ilia Topuria in an expected title unification bout. He plans to support Gaethje in that fight while hoping for a future rematch opportunity.
Could it happen? 🤔 #UFC #MMA https://t.co/eVP0OhZmw4
— bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) February 2, 2026
Eye Injury Concerns and Fight Frustrations
The 29-year-old fighter revealed that eye damage was his main physical issue following the fight. “The only thing that’s wrong with me is my eyeballs from fingernails scratching my eyeballs,” Pimblett said in his video.
Pimblett admitted he has not yet rewatched the fight because he remains frustrated with his performance and other aspects of the bout. He mentioned there were “a couple of things in that fight that have pissed me off” without providing specific details.
The defeat sent Pimblett to the hospital after the contest. It marked his first loss since dropping a decision to Soren Bak at Cage Warriors 96 in 2018, ending a seven-fight winning streak in the UFC.
Gaethje’s victory made him the first fighter in UFC history to win an interim title at lightweight. His record now stands at 27-5 overall and 10-5 in the UFC, while Pimblett dropped to 23-4 overall and 7-1 in the promotion.
Rematch Chances Look Unlikely
Despite his desire for a second fight, Pimblett acknowledged the odds are against him. “I hope he wins the undisputed title off Ilia and hopefully we can run it back, even though I don’t think he’s got too many fights left,” he said.
The Liverpudlian fighter recognizes that Gaethje is in the later stages of his career. If Gaethje only fights Topuria and potentially Max Holloway before retiring, Pimblett may never get his chance.
“I just hope that in the future he can step up and have a rematch with me, but it’s one of those things,” Pimblett said. “I know he’s on the arse-end of his career, so if he just ends up fighting Ilia and fighting Max and retiring, it’s one of them.”
Pimblett plans to use the loss as a learning experience as he rebuilds his career. “I’ll have learned a lot from losing that fight, so we crack on,” he stated.
Dan Hooker has been mentioned as a potential next opponent for Pimblett as he looks to return to winning ways. Pimblett recently reacted to Hooker’s loss against Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 325, though no official matchup has been announced.
The fighter emphasized his focus on moving forward despite the setback. “It’s done now. There’s nothing we can do, there’s nothing we can go back and change,” Pimblett said.
