Paddy Pimblett is set for his first taste of UFC gold this weekend when he takes on Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324
Paddy Pimblett will have his first crack at UFC gold this weekend when he takes on Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in Las Vegas.
The two stars will meet for the interim lightweight title after undisputed champion Ilia Topuria was forced to take some time away from the cage due to personal reasons. Pimblett comes into the showdown off the back of an impressive third round knockout victory over Michael Chandler last April.
Gaethje’s last appearance came in a decision win over Rafael Fiziev back in March. There is a lot more on the line than just a shiny title this weekend. The winner will also earn themselves a shot at Topuria’s crown next – so expect plenty of fireworks in Las Vegas on fight night. The co-main event was supposed to see Kayla Harrison defend her bantamweight throne against Amanda Nunes, but the former was forced to pull out due to injury. Sean O’Malley’s mouthwatering fight with Song Yadong has since been bumped up and will now play chief support. And so, here is everything you need to know ahead of UFC 324…
When is Paddy Pimblett vs Justin Gaethje?
The mouthwatering showdown between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje will take place on Saturday, January 24, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The early prelims are expected to get underway at around 10pm GMT (5pm ET / 2pm PT / 4pm CT), with the regular prelims due to start at 12am GMT on Sunday (7pm ET / 4pm PT / 6pm CT). The main card will begin at a new time of 2am GMT on Sunday (9pm ET / 6pm PT / 8pm CT). In the main event Pimblett will likely make the walk to the cage first at around 4am GMT on Sunday (11pm ET / 8pm PT / 10pm CT), with Gaethje set to follow immediately after. The timings of all fights are subject to change and will depend on how long the undercard takes to complete.
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How to watch Paddy Pimblett vs Justin Gaethjeon TV and live stream
For those watching in the United Kingdom, fans will be able to watch the entire action live on TNT Sports Box Office at a cost of £19.99. The event is available to purchase on discovery+, EE TV, Prime Video, Sky and Virgin Media TV. You do not need to be a TNT Sports subscriber to buy the event. UFC 324 marks a new era for the promotion after penning a deal with Paramount. So, for those watching in America, Paramount+ is where you will be able to watch all of the action.
Full fight card and undercard
Main card
- Paddy Pimblett vs Justin Gaethje
- Sean O’Malley vs Song Yadong
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs Derrick Lewis
- Natalia Silva vs Rose Namajunas
- Arnold Allen vs Jean Silva
Prelims
- Deiveson Figueiredo vs Umar Nurmagomedov
- Ateba Gautier vs Andrey Pulyaev
- Modestas Bukauskas vs Nikita Krylov
Early Prelims
- Alex Perez vs Charles Johnson
- Michael Johnson vs Alexander Hernandez
- Josh Hokit vs Denzel Freeman
- Ricky Turcios vs Cameron Smotherman
- Adam Fugitt vs Ty Miller
Quotes corner
Justin Gaethje: “Nope. I have said it before. I don’t ever plan on being alive after the fight, so…. if that’s how it ends, that’s how it ends. It was everything I asked for. I wanted to fight for a championship. An interim championship is not the same, but on paper, it is the same. I get paid as a champion. So, ultimately, this is my job, and so that was what I was fighting for.”
Paddy Pimblett: “There’s the blueprint there to beat him. Max has done it. Everyone underestimates my striking. Everyone thinks I’m just going to come in and I’m going to take him down. And I’m not. He had an absolute war with Chandler, and I pieced Chandler up. I know MMA maths doesn’t work, but you’ll just see come January 24 when we have a perfect game plan, and we finish him within three.”
