Justin Gaethje was counted out by many heading into his last opportunity to capture a UFC title belt, and he proved all of the doubters wrong, hurting and knocking down Paddy Pimblett several times to capture the interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC 324.
UFC 324 post-fight show: Reaction to Justin Gaethje battering Paddy Pimblett in chaotic main event
MMA Fighting reacts to UFC 324, Justin Gaethje’s interim title win over Paddy Pimblett, and more
Mike Heck Has been covering combat sports since 2015 and is the host for BTL and watch parties.
Following the first UFC event of 2026, and of the new UFC on Paramount era, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react to Gaethje’s punishing performance, discuss what they learned about both fighters, Pimblett’s eye-opening toughness, Gaethje likely facing Ilia Topuria next, and where Arman Tsarukyan stands. Additionally, they react to Sean O’Malley’s bounce-back win over Song Yadong in the co-main event, how the first Paramount event came across, bonus winners, and much more.
Watch the UFC 324 post-fight show above, or an audio-only version of the show can also be streamed below and on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your pods.
