Following his unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324, Justin Gaethje claimed the interim lightweight belt and rose to #1 in the first UFC rankings update of 2026. He is now positioned as the next challenger for undisputed champion Ilia Topuria upon his return. Natalia Silva also secured the next women's flyweight title shot after beating Rose Namajunas. This shifts the lightweight title picture, setting up a potential superfight. Gaethje's second interim reign adds intrigue to unification bouts. Fans anticipate Topuria vs Gaethje soon.[2]
