Justin Gaethje won the interim lightweight title via unanimous decision over Paddy Pimblett in the UFC 324 main event last Saturday, claiming the belt for the second time and rising to #1 in the lightweight rankings. This bumped Arman Tsarukyan to #2, Charles Oliveira to #3, and Max Holloway to #4, with Ilia Topuria remaining undisputed champion. Gaethje is now positioned as the next challenger for Topuria upon his return. In women's flyweight, Natalia Silva defeated Rose Namajunas to secure #1 contender status against Valentina Shevchenko. Jean Silva jumped four spots to featherweight top 10 after beating Arnold Allen. These shifts clarify title pictures post-UFC 324, setting up major unification bouts.
Reports emerged this week indicating that Justin Gaethje claimed the interim lightweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Paddy Pimblett in the UFC 324 main event last Saturday, with the win reportedly positioning him as the next challenger for undisputed champion Ilia Topuria. The story has not been officially confirmed.
According to the report, Gaethje's win marks his second reign with the interim belt and vaults him to the top of the lightweight rankings. The shift reshuffles the division behind him, with Arman Tsarukyan reportedly moving to number two, Charles Oliveira to number three, and Max Holloway to number four.
Oliveira, a 36-year-old Brazilian now ranked third at lightweight with a record of 37 wins and 11 losses, remains one of the division's most dangerous finishers. His 54 percent striking accuracy and 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes underscore why any path to the title runs through him.
Elsewhere at UFC 324, Natalia Silva reportedly defeated Rose Namajunas to earn the number one contender spot in women's flyweight, setting up a potential challenge against undisputed champion Valentina Shevchenko. "The Bullet," a 38-year-old Kyrgyzstan-born southpaw carrying a 26-4-1 record, averages 3.14 significant strikes per minute and 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes, making her a multi-dimensional threat at 125 pounds.
In featherweight action, Jean Silva's win over Arnold Allen reportedly sent him jumping four places into the divisional top ten. Allen, the 32-year-old Englishman from Tristar Gym, held a ranking of fifth at featherweight entering the night and carries a 21-4 record.
Why it matters
- Gaethje versus Topuria would be a lightweight unification bout with significant title lineage on both sides
- Oliveira at number three keeps a former undisputed champion in striking distance of another title shot
- Shevchenko versus Silva would pit the champion's well-rounded precision against a rising contender
- Allen's loss reshapes featherweight contender order heading into the summer
