Is Pimblett a Viable Contender for the UFC 324 Title Shot?
Posted on: November 29, 2025, 10:33h.
Last updated on: November 29, 2025, 11:06h.
- UFC CEO Dana White announces title bout between Pimblett and Gaethje for UFC 324 in January
- Current lightweight champ Topuria announced he is stepping away from UFC for first quarter of 2026
- UFC 324 winner would conceivably fight Topuria when he returns
Much of the debate around UFC circles today is whether the interim title shot handed to Paddy Pimblett is worthy or not, how much of it is tapping into the popularity of the outspoken Liverpool native to drive in eyeballs, more so than ability. Were there more viable contenders out there?
UFC CEO Dana White made the announcement Thursday – UFC 324 will be at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Jan. 24, headlined by Pimblett against Justin Gaethje in the lightweight division days after current champion Ilia Topuria announced he is taking time off to deal with personal issues. So that’s big Las Vegas gambling news to take in.
“I won’t be fighting in the first quarter of next year. I’m going through a difficult moment in my personal life. I want to focus on my children and resolve this situation as soon as possible. I don’t want to hold up the division. As soon as the matters are resolved I’ll let the UFC know I’m ready to begin my return,” Topuria wrote on X.
“Cherry-Picked”
Pimblett last fought in April against Michael Chandler where he KO’ed Chandler in the third round.
The co-main event at UFC 324 ticket is another burner – the return of former champ Amanda Nunes to the UFC, to take on bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison. That’s been a fight many have wanted to see for a long time. Nunes is considered to be the women’s MMA greatest of all time. She retired in 2023.
There’s been chatter around comments made a week ago by New Zealand lightweight Dan Hooker (ranked No. 6), that Pimblett is being “cherry-picked” for a title shot after he was informed Pimblett had jumped over him into the No. 5 ranking in the UFC’s lightweight division, that a title shot should come via beating contenders and not rankings.
As Casino.org wrote yesterday, UFC 324 will be the debut UFC numbered event on Paramount +, meaning the 77.77 million people who already subscribe to Paramount + will be able to watch the fight.
Las Vegas Gambling: Statement Fight for Paramount +
And Paramount didn’t do a 7-year, $7.7 billion deal with UFC just because they are UFC fans. They are counting on the UFC partnership boosting subscription numbers in a substantial way. According to this, Paramount + is No. 8 in terms of subscription numbers, with Netflix No. 1 at 301.6 million. And Pimblett is a rock star, outside of being a really good UFC fighter. Remember, he’s won seven fights in a row since joining UFC in 2021.
The guys on the betting side see it too.
“His numbers were decent when with Cage Warriors but since UFC, Paddy’s rise is positively impacted the betting. The Chandler fight was the highest we’ve seen in the last 12 months and irrespective of Ilia Topuria, we anticipate Paddy’s next fight will surpass his previous bout,” Mark Collier, a trader who concentrates on UFC, at BetVictor, told Casino.org last summer.
Topuria Fight
“If Pimblett does get Topuria then it’s the international draw/appeal with the venue very well being Anfield (Liverpool) or the Santiago Bernabeu (Madrid). During the McGregor years, we got ridiculous numbers, however Conor never got his wish of fighting at Croke Park (in Dublin) but there’s no reason why the potential Pimblett/Topuria fight couldn’t go one better and get the desired European stadium. Topuria would be the favourite to beat Paddy the Baddy but even the most negative fan of UFC couldn’t fully dismiss the scouser’s chances in beating him.”
And that’s what White is thinking we are sure. Get the Paramount relationship going with a boom, put the No. 5-ranked Pimblett in there against the No.4-ranked Gaethje with most of world hoping Pimblett gets through that setting up a massive fight against Topuria when he returns. There’s a massive White House UFC card coming up June 14 too, celebrating the 250th anniversary of American Independence.
How Do the Odds Look?
Early Las Vegas gambling lines have Pimblett the betting favourite. ESPN Bet has Pimblett -210, the American Gaethje +175, with Harrison the favourite in the women’s bout at -175, Nunes +145. At DraftKings: Pimblett -205, Gaethje +170, and Harrison -162, Nunes +136. Over at FanDuel, it’s Pimblett -230, Gaethje +176, with Harrison at -180, Nunes +140.
No comments yet