Paddy Pimblett vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 324

Paddy Pimblett garnered widespread respect for his ability to withstand five rounds against Justin Gaethje during the main event of UFC 324, held at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.

Gaethje Clinches Interim Lightweight Title

However, it was Gaethje who walked away with the interim lightweight championship, thanks to his dominant performance in the inaugural event of the UFC’s new seven-year partnership with Paramount+, shifting from a pay-per-view model to streaming premium events.

Relentless Combat

Gaethje managed to knock Pimblett down in the first minute and maintained pressure throughout the fight, although Pimblett repeatedly responded. A bloodied Pimblett didn’t give up and even found some success in the latter stages of the match, but Gaethje was unyielding.

Post-Fight Reflections

“I strayed from the game plan by trying to finish him off, as usual,” Gaethje stated. “I could tell he was hurt in the first, second, and even the third rounds, despite him potentially winning that round.” He secured the victory with scores of 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47, handing Pimblett his first UFC defeat in eight fights.

Co-Main Event Highlights

In the co-main event, former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley delivered a strong third round to earn a unanimous decision against Song Yadong. O’Malley, who faced two consecutive title fight losses prior to this match, expressed a desire to challenge the winner of the anticipated title fight rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan.

Exciting Knockouts

A heavyweight showdown between Derrick Lewis and Waldo Cortes-Acosta ended in a knockout, albeit in a surprising fashion. Lewis fell to the mat in the second round, and Cortes-Acosta seized the opportunity to finish the fight after realizing Lewis wasn’t defending himself effectively.

Impressive Performances

The main card began with a competitive featherweight bout where Jean Silva edged out Arnold Allen in a closely contested fight. Silva managed to secure the win on all three judges’ scorecards, while women’s flyweight contender Natalia Silva controlled former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas for a unanimous decision victory, improving her UFC record to 8-0.