Justin Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett via unanimous decision at UFC 324 to claim the interim lightweight title for the second time in his career. With the victory, Gaethje has been ranked as the #1 contender in the lightweight division and is now next in line to challenge undisputed titleholder Ilia Topuria. The win bumped Arman Tsarukyan down to #2, while Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway dropped to #3 and #4 respectively. Gaethje's path to a title shot against Topuria is now clear, setting up a major showdown later in 2026.
