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Gaethje vs. Pimblett for Interim Lightweight Crown
28 Nov
Summary
- Gaethje and Pimblett will fight for an interim lightweight title.
- Ilia Topuria needs time off for personal reasons, vacating the title temporarily.
- Kayla Harrison defends her bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes in co-main.
An interim lightweight championship fight is set to headline UFC 324, with Justin Gaethje facing Paddy Pimblett on January 24th in Las Vegas. This interim title bout comes as current undisputed champion Ilia Topuria has announced he requires time off to focus on personal matters. Topuria, who recently became champion, stated he does not want to hold up the division and will let the UFC make necessary matchups while he resolves his situation.
Gaethje, a former interim champion, enters the bout having last competed in March. He had previously considered retirement but accepted this fight to remain active. Pimblett, a rapidly ascending star since joining the UFC in 2021, boasts an undefeated record within the promotion. The winner of this interim title clash is slated to face Ilia Topuria in a unification bout later this year.
The event's co-main will see a highly anticipated women's bantamweight title defense, with champion Kayla Harrison facing off against the returning two-weight champion, Amanda Nunes. This marks Nunes' first appearance since June 2023, as she comes out of retirement for a significant challenge.
