Justin Gaethje secured the interim lightweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324, claiming the interim belt for the second time in his career. Following his win, Gaethje has been positioned as the #1 contender and is now next in line to challenge undisputed lightweight champion Ilia Topuria whenever 'El Matador' returns to competition in 2026. The victory bumped Arman Tsarukyan down to #2 in the lightweight rankings, while Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway dropped one spot each to #3 and #4 respectively. Gaethje's path to an undisputed title shot is now clear, setting up a major showdown with Topuria later this year.
