Overview
- Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett are booked for the interim lightweight title on January 24 in Las Vegas, set up while undisputed champion Ilia Topuria takes a temporary hiatus.
- FanDuel lists Pimblett as a slight favorite over Gaethje, even as Hall of Famer Urijah Faber picks Gaethje, citing his comfort in brawls and Division I wrestling to blunt Pimblett’s grappling.
- Gaethje’s coach Trevor Wittman said a near week-long power outage at their gym and his own bout with the flu forced the team to relocate sessions during the UFC 324 camp.
- A training vlog clip showing Gaethje colliding heads with a teammate during a dodgeball-style drill drew fan concern over injury risk, though no setback has been reported and the bout remains on.
- Gaethje praised Topuria’s striking—calling his two–three ‘one of the best’—vowed to ruin a hoped-for Topuria–Pimblett storyline, and noted his contracted title-challenger pay shaped his recent ‘title shot or retire’ stance.