Michael Gaethje wins interim lightweight title at UFC 324

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Paddy Pimblett’s Nine-Fight Winning Streak Comes to an End

Justin Gaethje defeated Pimblett by unanimous decision at UFC 324, claiming the interim lightweight championship. The fight took place in Las Vegas and lasted five rounds.

Gaethje praised Pimblett for his durability and heart, stating that he was “very dangerous” and had great timing. Pimblett initially struck first but Gaethje eventually gained momentum with a series of heavy punches.

The fourth round saw a shift in favor of Gaethje, who repeatedly landed heavy right hands on Pimblett. The final round began with an early slip from Gaethje, allowing Pimblett to land several clean punches before Gaethje responded with a booming right hand.

Pimblett showed respect for Gaethje, stating that he was a legend and would have preferred to lose to him. He also expressed his intention to return stronger in the future.

Gaethje’s win marked his second interim lightweight championship and sets up an undisputed title fight against Ilia Topuria. Pimblett suffered his first loss in the UFC since joining from England, dropping him to 23-4-0 in his career.

Other notable fights took place at UFC 324, including a unanimous decision victory for Sean O’Malley over Song Yadong and a knockout win for Waldo Cortes-Acosta over Derrick Lewis. In women’s fights, Natalia Silva defeated Rose Namajunas by unanimous decision, improving her record to 20-5-1.

The event also saw Jean Silva rebound from his loss against Diego Lopes in September with a victory over Arnold Allen.

Source: Al Jazeera