Following UFC 324, Justin Gaethje claimed the interim lightweight title with a win over Paddy Pimblett, vaulting to #1 in the lightweight rankings and positioning him as next challenger to champion Ilia Topuria. Arman Tsarukyan dropped to #2, with Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway at #3 and #4; Oliveira and Holloway rematch soon at UFC 326 for the BMF title. In flyweight, Natalia Silva rose to #1 contender after beating Rose Namajunas, eyeing Valentina Shevchenko. These shifts clarify title pictures in lightweight and flyweight, setting up major 2026 bouts amid new Paramount partnership.
Reports emerging after UFC 324 indicate that Justin Gaethje claimed the interim lightweight title by defeating Paddy Pimblett, though the development has not been officially confirmed and should be treated as unverified at this stage.
According to the report, Gaethje's victory vaulted him to the top of the lightweight rankings, positioning him as the mandatory challenger to undisputed champion Ilia Topuria. Behind him, Arman Tsarukyan is said to have dropped to second, while Charles Oliveira sits third and Max Holloway fourth. In the women's flyweight division, Natalia Silva reportedly rose to the number-one contender spot following a win over Rose Namajunas, setting her sights on champion Valentina Shevchenko.
Oliveira, the 36-year-old Brazilian fighting out of Chute Boxe Diego Lima, carries a 37-11-0 record and remains one of the most dangerous finishers in the division. He averages 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes and lands takedowns at a rate of 2.22 per 15 minutes, making him a constant threat on the ground. He is reportedly set to meet Holloway at UFC 326 in a rematch for the BMF title.
Holloway, 34, brings a 27-9-0 record and represents the division's most relentless striking output. The Hawaiian lands an extraordinary 7.2 significant strikes per minute, and at a shade under six feet tall with a 69-inch reach, he pressures opponents from the opening bell. His volume alone makes any rematch with Oliveira a compelling stylistic clash.
In flyweight, Shevchenko — the 38-year-old Kyrgyzstan-born champion holding a 26-4-1 record — would enter any matchup against Silva as the reigning titleholder. The "Bullet" averages 3.14 significant strikes per minute with 52 percent accuracy and also threats with 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Gaethje, if confirmed as interim champion, becomes the immediate frontrunner for a Topuria unification bout
- The Oliveira-Holloway BMF rematch at UFC 326 carries serious lightweight ranking implications at three and four
- A potential Shevchenko-Silva matchup would be the flyweight division's defining fight of 2026
- All reported shifts come amid the UFC's new Paramount partnership, raising the broadcast stakes for each bout
