Gaethje beats Pimblett, eyes Topuria title shot at 145

Following his unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett in the UFC 324 main event, Justin Gaethje claimed the interim lightweight title for the second time and rose to #1 in the lightweight rankings in the first UFC update of 2026. This positions Gaethje as the next challenger for undisputed champion Ilia Topuria upon his return. In women's flyweight, Natalia Silva defeated Rose Namajunas on the main card, securing the next title shot. These developments clarify the lightweight and flyweight title pictures after the first event of the year. Expect Gaethje vs. Topuria and Silva's flyweight bout to headline major cards soon.