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UFC 324: Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett To Fight For Lightweight Title

Dan Girolamo Written by Sports EditorDan Girolamo
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Paddy Pimblett goes for a punch in UFC.

The UFC will begin a new era on Paramount+ with an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324.

Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for Interim LW Title

UFC fans have a lot to be thankful for on Thursday.

On Thanksgiving Day, UFC CEO Dana White announced the fight card for UFC 324 on January 24, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The current champion, Ilia Topuria, announced he will step away from fighting to deal with a personal issue.

“I won’t be fighting in the first quarter of next year. I’m going through a difficult moment in my personal life. I want to focus on my children and resolve this situation as soon as possible,” Topuria wrote on X. “I don’t want to hold up the division. The UFC will make the matchups needed, and as soon as the matters are resolved I’ll let the UFC know I’m ready to begin my return.”

The winner between Gaethje and Pimblett will then face Topuria to determine the true lightweight champion.

In the co-main event, Kayla Harrison will put her women’s bantamweight title on the line against former champion Amanda Nunes, who fights for the first time since retiring in 2023.

“Suga” Sean O’Malley will be featured on the main card in a bantamweight bout against Song Yadong.

The rest of the card features heavyweights Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis, featherweights Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva, flyweights Alexa Grasso vs. Rose Namajunas, and middleweights Ateba Gautier vs. Andrey Pulyaev.

White also announced the main event for UFC 325 in Australia on January 31, 2026.

Featherweight champion and Australian native Alexander Volkanovski will defend his belt in a rematch with Diego Lopes. Volkanovski previously defeated Lopes at UFC 314.

UFC Moves to Paramount+

Starting in January, the UFC moves from ESPN to Paramount+.

UFC 324 will stream on Paramount+ at 9 p.m. ET. The UFC numbered events usually started at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

In August, Paramount and TKO agreed to broadcast the UFC’s 13 marquee numbered events and 30 Fight Nights on Paramount+.

Select numbered events will be simulcast on CBS. One of the rumored CBS events will be the White House card, which will take place on the front lawn.

Paramount+ subscribers will not need to pay extra to watch the UFC. The fights will be included with a Paramount+ subscription.

Dan Girolamo Written by Sports EditorDan Girolamo
Dan is a multifaceted content creator who specializes in sports, pop culture, and entertainment. His entertainment work has been featured on Digital Trends, where he has interviewed Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Alison Brie, Adam DeVine, Sadie Sink, Chris O'Dowd, Machine Gun Kelly, and Frank Grillo. Dan's entertainment work has also been featured on Coming Soon, Hidden Remote, and WatchMojo. Dan's other passion in life revolves around sports, graduating from Marist College with a degree in Sports Communication and Journalism. From columns about the latest in New York sports to gambling predictions, Dan continues to find success in written and broadcast journalism. Previous written work can be found at Unafraid Show, while broadcast clips can be seen on WAVE.tv and CBS Sports.
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