‘The Baddy’ Strikes: Paddy Pimblett Vows to Choke Out Justin Gaethje in Explosive UFC 324 Title Showdown

Las Vegas — Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett has officially made weight for his biggest bout yet, stepping on the UFC 324 scales at a lean 154 lbs and flashing a grin as he called the cut “easy work”. The Liverpool native now stares down former interim champion Justin Gaethje, who checked in at the division limit of 155 lbs, setting the table for Saturday’s interim lightweight title showdown inside T-Mobile Arena. Weigh-in recap • Pimblett: 154 lbs — first fighter on stage, no towel needed. • Gaethje: 155 lbs — last man to weigh, stone-faced and silent. • All other main-card fighters, including Sean O’Malley and Song Yadong, hit their marks, while two prelim athletes—Alex Perez and Deiveson Figueiredo—missed weight and surrendered a share of their purses. What’s at stake A victory would rocket Pimblett from cult favorite to bona-fide titleholder, making him only the second Briton to claim UFC gold at 155 lbs. Gaethje, age 37, hunts a second stint with a championship strap after dropping his last crack at gold to Islam Makhachev in 2024. Their clash promises fireworks: Pimblett averages 4.8 significant strikes landed per minute, while Gaethje throws an octagon-high 7.3. Fight-night schedule (ET) • Early Prelims: 5:30 pm • Prelims: 7 pm • Main Card: 9 pm on Paramount+ pay-per-view Key storylines for fans and bettors 1. Grappling vs. Leg Kicks: Pimblett’s 3.0 submission attempts per 15 minutes contrast Gaethje’s punishing calf-kick game, which has crippled rivals like Tony Ferguson. 2. Gas Tank Questions: Pimblett has never fought past Round 3 in the UFC; Gaethje has gone five rounds four times. 3. UK Momentum: A Pimblett win would extend the UK’s recent surge after Leon Edwards’ welterweight reign, fueling talk of a 2026 London stadium card. Undercard to watch • Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong: A bantamweight firefight that could decide the next title challenger. • Derrick Lewis returns against Waldo Cortes-Acosta in a heavyweight slugfest. • Rising flyweight Natalia Silva meets former champion Rose Namajunas. How to tune in U.S. viewers can stream UFC 324 exclusively on Paramount+; UK fans catch the main card at 02:00 GMT via UFC Fight Pass, with BBC Sport providing live text updates. Search-friendly takeaways Paddy Pimblett vs. Justin Gaethje is the headline attraction of UFC 324 this Saturday in Las Vegas, with both fighters on weight and primed for an interim lightweight title war. Expect Pimblett’s grappling flair against Gaethje’s leg-kick carnage, live main card start time 9 pm ET.