Justin Gaethje won the interim lightweight title via unanimous decision over Paddy Pimblett in the UFC 324 main event, the first event of 2026, propelling him to #1 in the lightweight rankings. Ilia Topuria, the undisputed lightweight champion, is set to face Gaethje next upon his return. In women's flyweight, Natalia Silva defeated Rose Namajunas on the main card, securing her as the next title challenger. This first rankings update of 2026 clarifies the lightweight and flyweight title pictures amid a stacked division. Expect Topuria vs. Gaethje booking soon, potentially unifying belts, while Silva awaits the flyweight champ.
Reports emerging from the first rankings update of 2026 suggest Justin Gaethje claimed the interim lightweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Paddy Pimblett in the UFC 324 main event, a result that has propelled him to the top of the 155-pound division. According to the report, undisputed lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is being lined up to face Gaethje in a unification bout upon his return, though no official booking has been confirmed.
Topuria, 29, carries a 17-1-0 record and holds the number-one spot in the pound-for-pound rankings. Fighting out of Spain under the Climent Club banner, "El Matador" stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and has built a reputation as a well-rounded threat, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy while also averaging 1.96 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Also on the UFC 324 main card, Natalia Silva reportedly defeated Rose Namajunas in women's flyweight action, a result said to position the Brazilian as the next title challenger in the division.
Silva, 29, holds a 20-5-1 record and ranks fifth in women's flyweight. The southpaw out of Team Borracha lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 45 percent accuracy, operating out of a five-foot-four frame with a 65-inch reach.
Namajunas, ranked sixth at 15-8-0, is a 34-year-old American veteran training out of 303 Training Center. "Thug" brings more diverse tools to the mat side of her game, averaging 1.47 takedowns and 0.3 submission attempts per 15 minutes, though she was unable to convert that advantage into a victory here.
Why it matters
- A Topuria versus Gaethje unification fight would determine the undisputed 155-pound champion and reshape the top of a stacked lightweight division.
- Silva's reported win over a seasoned former champion strengthens her case as the next flyweight title contender.
- Both title pictures remain unresolved until official announcements confirm the matchups described in these early reports.
