Paddy Pimblett recently opened up about his upcoming clash with Justin Gaethje and declared that he will finish ‘The Highlight’ at UFC 324. They are set to headline the event, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Jan. 24. The event marks the first numbered event to stream live on Paramount+, as the promotion ushers in a new era with Paramount.
There is a lot at stake for Pimblett and Gaethje. Their main event bout will be contested for the interim lightweight championship, with the winner expected to challenge Ilia Topuria when he returns.
Pimblett is confident ahead of the biggest fight of his MMA career. He is currently riding a nine-fight winning streak, including back-to-back Performance of the Night bonuses.
During a recent interview with Coin Poker, Pimblett praised Gaethje for his status in the sport. However, he made it clear that he intends to finish him and make a statement.
“Someone’s getting finished! 100 percent that’s not going to [the] judges. I’m feeling great. I can’t wait. Gaethje is a legend and to be able to share the cage with him is an honor,” Pimblett said. “That all gets put to one side when I actually get in the cage with him and I have to put a beat down on him.”
He continued:
“Obviously I wanted it to be for the undisputed [lightweight title] against Ilia Topuria,” Pimblett said. “I’m still going to be a world champion once I beat Gaethje and lift that interim belt.”
Paddy Pimblett Reveals Difficult Aspect of Preparing Justin Gaethje Fight
Paddy Pimblett also revealed that training for his fight with Justin Gaethje comes at a price, as it takes place during the holidays. ‘The Baddy’ said that he will need to be disciplined with his nutrition but believes it will all be worth it.
Although refraining from indulging in food during the holidays can be difficult, Pimblett is staying focused on the task at hand. He said he is feeling great and intends to train even harder to ensure he becomes interim lightweight champion.
“This is the earlier I’ve fought,” Pimblett told Coin Poker. “It’s going to be a rough Christmas dinner! I’m going to have to do a long run that day! It’s the biggest fight of my life and my career to dat. We’ve still got eight weeks to go but everything is flying so far.”
Both fighters enter UFC 324 with a relatively similar layoff. Gaethje defeated Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313. Pimblett, on the other hand, earned a dominant 3rd round TKO over Michael Chandler at UFC 314 the following month.
Pimblett Eyeing Ilia Topuria Clash Next
Although Pimblett is focused on his interim title fight with Gaethje, he is still eying a long-awaited fight with lightweight champion Ilia Topuria.
Pimblett and Topuria have been at odds for quite some time. ‘The Baddy’ admitted that he was expecting to fight in January against ‘El Matador.’ However, the UFC booked an interim title fight after Topuria announced that he was taking a hiatus due to personal issues.
“I thought I was going to be fighting Topuria. But then obviously, he’s got personal issues, so he needs to sort all that,” Pimblett told Coin Poker. “I wish him nothing but the best. Once I beat Justin, I’ll be going to take the real belts off Ilia.”
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