By Robert Ortiz, Staff Writer
With the arrival of the new year, UFC is set to open up 2026 with a high-stakes lightweight matchup that has River Hill debating. UFC 324, this upcoming Saturday, will be headlined by a lightweight battle between the veteran Justin Gaethje and the rising star, Paddy Pimblett.
The first UFC numbered card of the year is scheduled on January 24th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The undisputed lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, announced that he will not be fighting for an extended period of time on account of personal reasons. Due to this halt in the division, the UFC is allowing two of the biggest names in the lightweight division to face off for the interim lightweight title. The winner will face the champion for the undisputed lightweight championship at a later date.
Justin Gaethje will be putting his 26-5 record on the line against hyped-up contender Paddy Pimblett. Pimblett boasts an impressive record of 23-3, with 7 wins coming by knockout and 10 by submission. Gaethje, on the other hand, will enter the octagon with 20 of his 26 wins being by knockout. Although knockout-heavy records are more common in other combat sports such as boxing, a knockout ratio of this magnitude is rarely seen in mixed martial arts at the highest level.
Junior Ryan Gregory pointed out the knockout record Gaethje has maintained, saying, “Gaethje is such a heavy hitter. It’ll be a struggle for Paddy to get through it.” Gaethje’s most recent knockout win was a second-round headkick knockout over the lightweight legend, Dustin Poirier, in July of 2023.
Paddy Pimblett possesses a grappling background that includes high-level jiu-jitsu, which many consider a significant threat to Gaethje. Senior Qasim Abbas mentioned that, “Justin Gaethje just doesn’t have the best grappling skills.” In past fights, Gaethje has been prone to getting controlled, and in scenarios where he is facing the best, he has been submitted on the ground.
Pimblett’s advantage on the mat doesn’t tell the whole story. A comparison of the two fighters’ resumes would suggest that this fight is a mismatch. Junior Shorbodaman De said, “Gaethje’s fought some of the best of all time and proven to be a test for all of them.” Justin Gaethje has been in the UFC for nine years and has fought top-level competition since his debut back in 2017. His resume contains all-time greats and fan favorite fighters.
Pimblett’s resume lacks the depth that Gaethje’s all-time resume has. Paddy Pimblett’s only top 10 win was his last fight, in which he dominated former #7 lightweight in the world, Michael Chandler, en route to a third-round technical knockout victory. Considering these two factors in the fight, Gregory mentioned that “Gaethje’s experience will probably triumph over Pimblett’s energy.”
In this matchup, Gaethje is 37 years old, while his opponent is six years younger than him. In his past, Gaethje has dealt with younger fighters and has often eliminated the age factor in the octagon. When referring to Gaethje’s age disadvantage, Abbas said, “He’s proved time and time again that he has that tenacity of a young guy.” Justin Gaethje may be in the latter half of his career, but he is still as dangerous as before.
While Gaethje has built an incredible highlight reel full of knockouts, Pimblett, in the past, has gone viral for his statements regarding his durability. After his first-round knockout over Luigi Vendramini, he told ESPN, “I’m a scouser, we don’t get knocked out.” De responded to the durability of Pimblett, adding that, “I don’t think his chin has been properly tested, especially in the UFC as he’s never truly gone against a high-level fighter.”
The energy that Pimblett brings to the octagon could be crucial in determining the fight’s outcome. If Pimblett were to come out too aggressively in the opening round, it could seal his fate. Abbas said that “this fight is mainly going to be about who makes less mistakes.” He later followed up by saying, “Because of the lack of experience, I think Pimblett is a lot more likely to make those mistakes.”
UFC 324 will be a strong way to open up 2026 and River Hill is intrigued by the explosive power of Justin Gaethje and the confident grappling abilities of Paddy Pimblett. Ultimately, this fight will reveal whether Pimblett can compete at the highest level of the sport or if Gaethje’s seasoned ferocity will be too much to overcome.