Justin Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision in the UFC 324 main event last Saturday, claiming the interim lightweight championship for the second time and ascending to #1 in the lightweight rankings. This bumped Arman Tsarukyan to #2, with Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway dropping to #3 and #4. Gaethje is now positioned as the next challenger for undisputed champion Ilia Topuria upon his return. The rankings update, the first of 2026, reflects UFC 324's outcomes after the promotion's new Paramount partnership debut. This sets up a high-stakes unification bout in lightweight, one of the deepest divisions.
