The UFC opened its 2026 calendar and started the new Paramount media era with UFC 324 at T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event was headlined by an interim lightweight championship bout between fan favorites Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, setting the tone for a blockbuster year ahead.

Justin Gaethje def. Paddy Pimblett via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)

Justin Gaethje (27-5) claimed the interim UFC lightweight title for the second time Saturday night, earning a unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett (23-4) in a brutal, back-and-forth main event to close out UFC 324. Gaethje relied on relentless pressure and sustained damage over five rounds to secure the interim belt and position himself for a unification bout later this year.

It marked Gaethje’s second interim championship, having first winning the title in 2020 with a dominant win over Tony Ferguson. That run ultimately led to a title challenge against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254, which ended in a submission loss in what became the final fight of Nurmagomedov’s career. This time, Gaethje’s path back to the top came through one of the toughest fights of his career.

Gaethje nearly ended the bout early, dropping Pimblett twice in the opening round and coming close to a stoppage before Pimblett managed to scramble back to his feet. Another knockdown followed, but the horn saved Pimblett, who somehow weathered the storm and regrouped. Despite absorbing heavy damage, Pimblett showed remarkable toughness and began to find moments of success as the fight wore on.

The momentum swung multiple times over the remaining rounds, with Gaethje doing his best work when he trapped Pimblett against the fence. He floored him with a right uppercut along the cage in the first round and followed up with another knockdown in the second. Gaethje closed that round on top, unloading elbows and forearms as Pimblett, bloodied above his right eye, acknowledged the punishment with a fist bump at the horn.

Gaethje stayed true to his trademark aggressive style throughout, pushing the pace and engaging in violent exchanges. Pimblett refused to fade, trading heavy shots and continuing to attack despite the damage he had taken. In the fifth round, sensing he was behind on the scorecards, Pimblett attempted his most aggressive takedown of the fight, but Gaethje stuffed it and finished the round with his most impactful strikes.

By the final horn, Gaethje had outlanded Pimblett 219-177 in total strikes, absorbing plenty of kicks to the body and legs while continuing to march forward. All three judges scored the fight in Gaethje’s favor, awarding him the interim title and setting up a highly anticipated unification bout against undisputed lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, potentially later this year, with June already being floated as a possible target.

UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett Results

• Justin Gaethje def. Paddy Pimblett via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
• Sean O’Malley def. Song Yadong via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Derrick Lewis via second-round TKO (punches)
• Natalia Silva def. Rose Namajunas via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Jean Silva def. Arnold Allen via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Umar Nurmagomedov def. Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Ateba Gautier def. Andrey Pulyaev via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Nikita Krylov def. Modestas Bukauskas via third-round TKO (punches)
• Alex Perez def. Charles Johnson via first-round TKO (punches)
• Josh Hokit def. Denzel Freeman via first-round TKO (punches)
• Ty Miller def. Adam Fugitt via first-round TKO (punches)