TLDR
- Justin Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 on January 24, 2026
- Champion Ilia Topuria is taking a break in early 2026 due to divorce proceedings
- UFC plans to book the Gaethje-Topuria unification fight for summer 2026
- UFC 324 was the first event under the UFC’s new seven-year, $7.7 billion Paramount+ contract
- Topuria was originally supposed to fight Pimblett at UFC 324 but couldn’t make the January date
Sources: Bloody Elbow | Sherdog
Justin Gaethje won the interim lightweight championship at UFC 324 on January 24, 2026, defeating Paddy Pimblett at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The victory sets up a unification fight with champion Ilia Topuria, but fans will have to wait until summer 2026 to see the bout.
Topuria is taking time off during the first quarter of 2026. The champion is dealing with divorce proceedings that prevented him from competing at UFC 324.
The 36-year-old Gaethje improved his record to 26-5 in mixed martial arts and 9-5 in the UFC. Pimblett, a Liverpool fighter who came into the bout undefeated in the UFC at 7-0, dropped to 23-4 overall.
UFC 324 Was Second Choice Main Event
The Gaethje-Pimblett fight was not the UFC’s first choice to headline UFC 324. The promotion originally wanted Topuria to defend his title against Pimblett, with whom he has feuded for years.
Topuria called out Pimblett last June after winning a second title at a new weight class. But the champion couldn’t make the January date due to his personal issues.
The UFC also considered matching Pimblett against top contender Arman Tsarukyan. The promotion decided against that pairing after Tsarukyan pulled out of a scheduled title fight at the last minute in January 2025 and headbutted an opponent during a weigh-in event in November 2025.
Another planned fight fell through when women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison suffered herniated discs in training. Her co-main event bout against Amanda Nunes was scrapped less than two weeks before UFC 324.
New Paramount+ Deal Changes UFC Business Model
UFC 324 marked the start of the promotion’s seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount+. The agreement ends the UFC’s long-running pay-per-view business model.
Under the previous ESPN deal, fans had to pay $89.99 for each of 13 annual pay-per-view events plus an $11.99 monthly ESPN+ subscription. That totaled nearly $1,200 per year to watch every UFC fight.
Paramount+ offers plans as low as $89.99 per year for all UFC content. UFC President Dana White said the promotion decided to make the switch as technology changed and online piracy became a bigger problem.
Gaethje called being the main event of the first Paramount+ card “a huge opportunity.” He said the UFC trusts him because he delivers exciting fights consistently.
Pimblett promised before the fight to “put a beatdown” on Gaethje. The veteran fighter responded by saying he wanted to take the bout into the championship rounds and “turn his face into minced meat.”
The UFC scheduled another major card for February 1 in Sydney, Australia. UFC 325 features a featherweight title rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes.
Topuria’s return timeline in the first quarter of 2026 means the unification fight with Gaethje will likely happen between June and August 2026. The UFC has not announced a specific date or location for the championship bout.
