Justin Gaethje turned a two-time interim light-weight champion at UFC 324 on Jan. 24 at T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas. „The Spotlight“ confronted Paddy Pimblett within the struggle card’s foremost occasion and soundly defeated „The Baddy“ by way of unanimous choice.
In November, champion Ilia Topuria introduced that he was taking an prolonged break from combating to take care of divorce. It was unknown how lengthy the champion can be sidelined however he indicated that he wouldn’t be combating within the first quarter of 2026. In his absence, the struggle promotion opted to crown an interim titleholder.
Within the struggle with Pimblett, Gaethje opted to circle towards Pimblett’s energy hand, one thing former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson questioned. Johnson demonstrated that he’d have met Gaethje with leg kicks if he have been to make use of the identical tactic in opposition to him.
„He was kicking me although, however he kicked like a b*tch. So I used to be like, I can stroll by means of that. As soon as I figured I may stroll by means of it, then it was cash,“ Gaethje mentioned on Johnson’s YouTube channel.
Gaethje’s strategy within the Pimblett struggle was particularly tailor-made for Pimblett. He admitted wouldn’t use the identical technique in opposition to somebody like Johnson.
„It is at all times fascinating like how the way in which he strikes. He needs to circle into energy, however on the identical time, he mentioned he would struggle me completely completely different as a result of my footwork is so a lot better than Paddy Pimblett’s. And it is smart,“ Johnson mentioned.
„Typically in combating you’re taking these trade-offs the place it is like, okay, I’ll circle into Paddy’s energy as a result of he cannot f*cking hit exhausting. He cannot kick exhausting.“
The newly topped interim titleholder is anticipated to face Topuria later this yr in a title unification bout. If Gaethje had his method, it will be on the UFC White Home occasion in June.
