Pimblett To Fight Gaethje For Interim Title In January

Paddy Pimblett will conflict Justin Gaethje for nan interim lightweight title astatine UFC 324 successful Las Vegas connected 24 January.

The bout betwixt Liverpool's Pimblett and American Gaethje has been group up aft champion Ilia Topuria revealed he will not conflict successful nan first 4th of 2026 because of a "difficult moment" successful his individual life.

Pimblett, 30, is 5th successful nan UFC's lightweight rankings pinch 37-year-old Gaethje 1 spot supra him.

Topuria, who won nan title aft knocking retired Charles Oliveira successful July, added that nan UFC will "make nan match-ups needed" successful his absence.

"I won't beryllium fighting successful nan first 4th of adjacent year. I'm going done a difficult infinitesimal successful my individual life," nan Georgian-Spaniard wrote connected X., external

"I want to attraction connected my children and resoluteness this business arsenic soon arsenic possible.

"I don't want to clasp up nan division. As soon arsenic nan matters are resolved I'll fto nan UFC cognize I'm fresh to statesman my return."

Pimblett past fought successful April wherever he stopped American Michael Chandler successful nan 3rd information for his seventh-straight triumph successful nan UFC.

His performances wrong nan octagon, coupled pinch his lively characteristic and passionate speeches astir men's intelligence health, person seen Pimblett blossom into 1 of nan UFC's astir celebrated fighters.

His title changeable comes contempt not holding a triumph complete immoderate combatant successful nan existent apical 10 and pinch different viable contenders supra him successful nan rankings.

Armenia's Arman Tsarukyan hit Dan Hooker successful Qatar past week to solidify his number 1 ranking, earlier calling for a title bout against Topuria.

Oliveira (second) and Max Holloway (third) besides do not person upcoming fights booked, though some person already mislaid to Topuria.

Earlier this month, Hooker revealed his bemusement astatine Pimblett's lightweight ranking, adding nan UFC "must beryllium cherry-picking him for a title shot".

Gaethje past fought successful March, earning a unanimous determination triumph complete Rafael Fizief, and has won 9 of 14 UFC bouts since making his debut successful 2017.

He is simply a erstwhile interim champion aft beating Tony Ferguson for nan loop successful 2020, but suffered conclusion by Khabib Nurmagomedov successful a unification bout 5 months later.

The arena astatine nan T-Mobile Arena will beryllium nan UFC's first nether its seven-year woody pinch streaming level Paramount, marking a move distant from its pay-per-view model.

The co-main arena sees American bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison make nan first defence of her title against nan returning Amanda Nunes.

Brazil's erstwhile double champion Nunes - who galore respect arsenic nan champion women's combatant of each clip - is ending her status aft leaving nan athletics successful 2023.