"On Thursday, UFC CEO and President Dana White announced that UFC 324 will be headlined by an interim lightweight championship fight, which sees Justin Gaethje (26-5) take on Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett (23-3). In the co-main event, the much-anticipated showdown between former teammates Kayla Harrison (19-1) and Amanda Nunes (23-5) arrives, with Harrison's 135lb title on the line."
"Justin "The Highlight" Gaethje has been holding out for a title fight since defeating Rafael Fiziev in March. He's 3-1 across his last four, with the lone loss coming to Max Holloway at UFC 300. A former WSOF lightweight champ and bonus-winning machine since arriving in the UFC in 2017, Gaethje previously held an interim lightweight title after defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in 2020. That led to a failed attempt at becoming undisputed champ against Khabib Nurmagomedov later that year."
"Harrison, a former two-time PFL champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist in Judo, earned the UFC women's bantamweight championship by defeating Julianna Pena earlier this year. That was enough to lure Amanda Nunes out of retirement; the two had seemed destined to collide until Nunes split a pair of fights with Pena in 2021-22, then dropped out of a rubber match the following year, replaced by Irene Aldana."
UFC 324 will launch the promotion's run on Paramount+ with two title fights. The main event is an interim lightweight championship between Justin Gaethje (26-5) and Paddy Pimblett (23-3) following Ilia Topuria's decision not to defend the lightweight title in early 2026. The co-main features Kayla Harrison (19-1) defending her 135lb bantamweight championship against Amanda Nunes (23-5). Gaethje is 3-1 in his last four fights and previously held an interim lightweight belt. Pimblett is 7-0 since joining the UFC in 2021 and has become a high-profile star. Harrison is a two-time PFL champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo.
Read at Cageside Press
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