UFC 324: Justin Gaethje vs Paddy Pimblett Interim Lightweight Title Clash

New England Cartel’s Tyson Chartier Breaks Down UFC 324's Interim Lightweight Title Clash Championship fights are layered battles, with the competitors stepping into the Octagon operating at the highest level in their respective weight divisions. A New Era Begins | UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass! Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass! Upgrade licence This video is not available in your country There was a problem while loading content. Please try again. A New Era Begins | UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett Kyte: Alright Coach — we’re back in business and we’ve got an interim lightweight title fight to discuss. So what’s the best trait of Justin Gaethje and what’s the best trait of Paddy Pimblett? Chartier: For Gaethje, it’s his durability, his aggressiveness and his experience. He’s been in there with the best of them, five rounds with some of them, and he’s been in these big moments his whole career; you can’t put a price tag on that experience. We know he’s super-exciting, he’s very aggressive and he hits hard, so those are the three things I would say. For Pimblett, it’s two things: obviously he’s a great grappler, but I think he’s so confident in his grappling that he’s become good at striking with the awkwardness of his strikes. He’s so confident that he knows that if he’s out of position, he can grab you, throw up a flying triangle or create some kind of scramble. His confidence in his grappling is leading to confidence in his striking. Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview Along with that, he’s so unorthodox. You see these guys that have been in there with everybody, and then he comes at you and he’s long, gangly, and he throws from weird angles, but it’s effective. A striking coach would probably never teach you (to mimic his style) because it’s so unorthodox, but it has an effect against guys that are used to seeing traditional strikes come at them. Kyte: With Gaethje — and this probably an unfair thing to ask given that he’s only been put out one time in his career — are you worried at all about the durability as he’s 37 now, it’s been all these years, all these wars? It’s not that he’s getting chinny or anything like that, but is there any concern that eventually all that damage, all those battles pile up and he just can’t take those shots the same way? Chartier: I don’t think I’m there with him. He got caught with an overhand that he didn’t see coming — those will always knock you out — and he took damage earlier in that fight [with Max Holloway] from the spinning back kick. I don’t think he’s at that point and it’s not anything that I’m concerned about. If there was anything I was really curious about is his willingness to stay disciplined and be boring. Kyte: That doesn’t really exist. Chartier: It kind of started to exist; Trevor got him fighting a little different and when he does stay disciplined, he’s effective. Watch UFC 324 Embedded Kyte: For sure. He’s a little more technical, he protects a little better. It’s not a demolition derby anymore; it’s more like NASCAR. Chartier: Paddy’s not a guy that is gonna slug you with a one-two and put you down, but he’s someone that can hit you with a kick from an awkward angle that you don’t see coming and that could put you down. But that comes from Gaethje getting out of position, getting overly aggressive; that’s where those strikes can land. If he doesn’t stay disciplined and just starts ripping stuff, Paddy is long, he’s awkward, he’ll come up the middle and that’s where I think he can get caught. Kyte: How much do you think some of Paddy’s effectiveness — and I agree that his style is atypical in its appearance — comes from the fact that he’s bigger than people recognize him to be? I think people have these ideas about him anchored in their minds and then he’s just a different fighter than they’re envisioning. He’s a legit lightweight now. He’s not particularly tall, but he’s got long arms, a good reach, he’s put on the weight the right way, and do you then get in there and go, “This isn’t what I was expecting.” Do you think those things factor? Chartier: When you look at him versus [Michael] Chandler, they looked like they were from two different weight classes. Kyte: A hundred percent! Chartier: He’s bigger, faster, stronger and… Kyte: He’s got a little of that Darren Till thing to him where they just feel bigger than you, bigger than they are. FOLLOW @UFCNEWS: On Facebook |On Instagram |On X | On Threads Chartier: I think people — and I don’t mean this in a disrespectful way — I think the haircut plays on that. People go in there thinking “I’m not gonna lose to this guy; look at that haircut!” and then he’s all over you. There is no world where he should be out-scrambling or out-wrestling Michael Chandler, if you look at wrestling credentials. (Paddy) comes from a country not known for wrestling, he’s not known as being a wrestler, and then you look at Michael Chandler, who is more experienced, a stud wrestler, built like a brick s***house. Kyte: For sure, but Paddy has worked a ton with [Justin Flores] though. Chartier: He’s taking him and mat-returning him. It’s a big gap that he’s closed, and I think people are surprised by that. It’s like when I bring an amateur into the gym to give one of the UFC fighters a round and the amateur put it on them a little, you can see the UFC fighter start to get frustrated because “I’m not supposed to lose to this kid.” It’s almost more about pride or they’re embarrassed, and then they’re frustrated. It seems like that’s the case with some of these guys — they get in there and it’s like, “He’s not doing this to me; there’s no way” and they lose focus. Chandler is one of those guys that don’t quit for no one, but there are moments in that fight where you look in his eyes and it’s “What is happening?” WATCH: UFC 324 Countdown I think it’s like you said with the Darren Till thing: he gets in there and just has this effect on his opponents. When they feel him lock his hands, it’s “I wasn’t expecting this.” Kyte: For all his playfulness and personality, he’s as rock-solid confident and sure of his abilities, sure of his success as anybody, and it’s not bravado or trying to convince himself of anything. He’s believed in this dream from the jump. I also think — and I’ve said this to him face-to-face before — there are a lot of people that thought, “Paddy’s fun, but there’s a ceiling; we’ll hit a point where he tops out,” and very few people expected him to keep climbing and eventually reach this point. I told him a couple fights ago that I was done trying to put a cap on how far he could go because he just keeps looking better and better and keeps exceeding expectations. I think he’s someone that benefits from all the exposure we’ve had to him over the years has caused people to be anchored in their idea of who he is, and he’s changing it every time around, and that throws people off. Chartier: He’s not super-active and he doesn’t post a ton about training, so when you see him, he’s been away for eight months and it’s, “Whoa, he looks better!” You’re seeing snapshots in real time and it’s really impressive. Kyte: Right. This is eight months, nine months since we saw him last again. It’s really interesting. I love this fight so much. Path to Victory Kyte: Okay — what’s the path to victory for each guy here? I feel like these are pretty straightforward. Chartier: Gaethje probably has to try to keep it on the feet, but the caveat is that he has to be willing to be a little boring and control positions. If you look at the moments where Paddy struggled and lost rounds — the Jared Gordon fight, a little in the Chandler fight — it’s when people can push him against the fence, maintain position and win moments. Justin is a big ‘55er, he’s strong, he’s got really good wrestling, and if he wanted to get ahold of Paddy and drive him to the fence, grind on him a little, chip away… Justin Gaethje Interview With Jon Anik | UFC 324 Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass! Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass! Upgrade licence This video is not available in your country There was a problem while loading content. Please try again. Justin Gaethje Interview With Jon Anik | UFC 324 Kyte: Wear on him, rough him up inside, dirty box… Chartier: Just win some moments there. I think he can do it, but is he willing to do that? Generally, he’s not, but if you listen to his interviews, he’s talking about “this is my last title run, this is my last chance,” so you’ve gotta do whatever it takes to win, to get to that thing you’re chasing. I’m interested to see if he’s willing to not worry about the fans, worry about getting the Fight of the Night; just get the win. Keeping it on the feet is generally his path to victory, but he’s also got to be willing to win moments and steal rounds. Fighters On The Rise | UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett Kyte: And what about for Paddy? Chartier: I think he’s got to figure out a way to get Gaethje on his back foot and make him react to his kicks versus reacting to his kicks. From C-range, Paddy’s go-to is to spam kicks to get a reaction, get some contact. Next thing you know, you’re worried about those kicks, and then he punches and is in on the clinch or he’ll throw a flying triangle. So I think he’s got to find a way to lead with those kicks, but get Gaethje on his heels. Gaethje is usually good about taking kicks and reacting hard, but Paddy’s team will know that, so they’ll probably have a plan of “kick and then do something” — kick, pull, and kick again or kick and shoot. It’ll be interesting to see what they do, but I think he’s got to have a kick-heavy approach, go first, and then mix in the grappling. He needs to create scrambles in the grappling. Don’t just accept being put on the wall — drop for heel hooks, do something that creates a scramble or threat. Kyte: Just find a way to put Gaethje into a grappling situation because it’s the one place where we’ve seen him repeatedly make mistakes and get beaten. So to me, you’re bang on with Paddy in terms of “Do what you have to do in order to get him thinking and have a little success outside, but the second you can get him going backwards, get on a leg, get on the waist.” I won’t be surprised if he tries to jump a triangle, jumps on his back or pulls him back into him, confident that he’ll dominate in those positions. I think the Chandler fight changes things a little now too, right? He hadn’t really mauled somebody like that from top position — it was almost always that he was gonna go find a choke. MORE UFC 324: Hernandez Comfortable | Crucial Bantamweight Stretch | Johnson’s Hard Way | UFC 324’s Best Finishes | Charles Johnson’s Storm | Paddy Pimblett on UFC Unfiltered | No Slowing Cortes Acosta | Derrick Lewis Is Different Chartier: Plus he was able to get out from under a high-level wrestler with a ton of experience, defend the takedowns against a high-level wrestler like that, plus he was able to take him down and win scrambles. There were a lot of lessons learned in that fight and I think a lot of lightbulbs went off in people’s heads. The other thing I’ll say about Paddy kicking is that it’s often annoying, and when you’re on the receiving end of that, people either go huge and get themselves out of position — which would be perfect for Paddy — or they’ll reactively panic wrestle because they’re just trying to avoid the kicks. Kyte: And then you’ve initiated the grappling and brought it to where he wants to be the most. Chartier: It’s gonna be interesting to see if he starts spamming the kicks and what Gaethje’s reaction is going to be. X Factor Kyte: Okay, so what’s the x-factor here? Chartier: Who imposes their will more? Who wants this more? Kyte: Oh I like this. Chartier: You’ve got a guy on the tail end saying, “This might be it” and a guy that this is the only thing he’s ever cared about since he started training. Kyte: And the thing he wants most is on the other side of this, for both of them, but maybe a little more for Paddy because that fight with [Ilia] Topuria is a grudge match for him. Lightweight Division 2026 Preview Chartier: Right, and I’m always interested when you hear fighters talking about “this might be it,” it means they’re thinking about life after fighting. They may not have opened that door yet, but they’re acknowledging the door. I’m curious to see whose want in this one wins out? Justin’s an OG and maybe it doesn’t impact him at all… Kyte: It could be a wash with both of them coming in thinking “this is the biggest fight I’ve ever had,” which would be great… Chartier: But this isn’t the biggest fight Gaethje’s ever had. Kyte: And there’s the rub. Paddy Pimblett Backstage Interview | UFC 2025 Seasonal Press Conference Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass! Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass! Upgrade licence This video is not available in your country There was a problem while loading content. Please try again. Paddy Pimblett Backstage Interview | UFC 2025 Seasonal Press Conference Chartier: He’s had that fight in Abu Dhabi, he’s had “the minute the bell rings, my parents are retired.” He’s done all this. But this is the biggest fight Paddy has ever had, by far. Kyte: It’s his first UFC main event. Chartier: That’s crazy! He’s never been the main event? That’s wild! Kyte: His last four fights were on numbered events and he didn’t headline before that, and this is to get the fight that he wanted. It’s to get the fight that probably would have been happening if Topuria didn’t have to press pause. Chartier: Who is the pressure on? It’s gotta be on Gaethje, right? How To Watch And Stream UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett If you’re Paddy and his team, it’s like, “If we lose this one, we’ll still get another big fight after this one and get back to where we are," but for Gaethje it’s “if I lose this one, do I keep fighting?” Kyte: And getting to that undisputed title fight again, getting another chance to win that title — which is the one thing missing from his resume — is such a massive thing for him. Now, he’s been successful in this exact spot before and it was arguably his best performance, but it was also six years ago. Chartier: That’s wild that it was already six years ago. One Coaching Curiosity Kyte: Okay — last thing: what are the curiosity points for you in this one? Chartier: I have two; one for each of them. Kyte: Perfect. Chartier: Will Justin shoot or clinch? Will he initiate grappling to win rounds, which I already mentioned. The other one is can Paddy take Gaethje down? I know we saw him take Chandler down, but can he take Gaethje down, because he’s a much bigger ‘55er, different build. The New Paddy Pimblett Collection is Officially Here Gaethje is the “Chuck Liddell of ’55” in that he’s not wanting to get taken down, so I’ll be really interested to see if he can take him down. Is his wrestling at the point here that he can take a guy like Gaethje down? And will Justin — who only has one takedown in the UFC — shoot or clinch? I think he took [Rafael] Fiziev down once in their first fight, and maybe he’s got more attempts than that, but will he do it to steal a round, initiate something or is it reactive? Kyte: (looks at ufcstats.com) He really does only have one successful takedown in 14 fights in the UFC. Chartier: Yeah, so I’m interested to see — we get back to that thing where “this is my last run” and people at the end of their careers do make some changes. Maybe he switches it up to steal a round or looks to push him up against the fence? I’m so interested to see if he shoots. Kyte: I’m curious to see how that “last ride” element of things plays into it. He’s been very up-front about it, acknowledged to everyone that he knows he’s towards the end of things, probably only has two or three more fights left, but I want to see if things don’t go his way early, does that impact his performance? Trevor [Wittman] (Gaethje’s longtime coach) has come out and said — and I’m paraphrasing here — that “if we lose this one, I don’t know if we’re riding again.” If you come out and you’re down 0-2, Paddy has roughed him up a little bit and he’s not having any success, what does that do? ZUFFA BOXING: Fight By Fight Preview | Zuffa Boxing 01 It could be the thing that goes the other way — this could absolutely be “I’ve got one more shot to go and get this one thing that has eluded me” and be completely locked in, all of what you’re saying about doing whatever it takes to win, but that’s the piece to me here, and I think we’ll get a sense of that in the first five-to-seven minutes of this fight. Chartier: It’s gonna be interesting. Kyte: I can’t wait. Don't miss a moment of UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 24, 2026. Prelims start at 7pm ET/4pm PT, followed by the main card live on Paramount+ at 9pm ET/6pm PT. Tags