Justin Gaethje appears to be preparing an unexpected shift in approach for his Octagon appearance. After lightweight champion Ilia Topuria announced a hiatus from competition, the promotions moved quickly, booking an interim title fight between “The Highlight” and Paddy Pimblett as the main event of UFC 324 in January 2026.
Gaethje is in position to become the UFC’s first two-time interim champion and set up a future title unification bout with Topuria. But before that can happen, he’ll need to navigate Pimblett’s wrestling-heavy approach in what many view as a matchup defined by contrasting skill sets.