Gaethje earns Topuria unification shot at 155

Following his unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 to claim the interim lightweight title, Justin Gaethje has risen to #1 in the lightweight rankings, positioning him as the next challenger for undisputed champion Ilia Topuria. The rankings update, the first of 2026, also bumped Arman Tsarukyan to #2, with Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway dropping to #3 and #4. This sets up a massive lightweight title unification bout whenever Topuria returns. Gaethje's second interim title reign underscores his resilience and striking power, making him a dangerous threat to Topuria's featherweight dominance extended to lightweight.