Following his unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324, 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 her a title shot. These developments shake up the lightweight and flyweight divisions, setting up high-stakes unification bouts. Expect Gaethje vs. Topuria to headline a major event later in 2026.
