UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett – 1.24.2026 – Fight Predictions and Analysis
Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett. The UFC begins their exclusive deal on Paramount network here to start out 2026. It will be a very big event today headlined by the lightweight world championship in Las Vegas. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick as our records will not reflect confidence in each selection. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few.
Current Record
- Anthony: 0-0-0 (Last Year 331-183-3, 64%)
- Nick: 0-0-0 (Last Year 326-188-3, 63%)
*Fight odds were last updated on 1-23-2026 at 8pm EST
Early Prelims- Start 5:00pm EST
Ty Miller -450 vs Adam Fugitt +340
- Anthony: The event begins here at welterweight with a fight between Ty Miller and Adam Fugitt. This is the promotional debut for Miller who earned a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. The 25-year-old is an undefeated prospect with great striking and a long frame. Fugitt measures up similarly in height and reach but he does not use it to the same effect when fighting. Miller does his best work by keeping distance and peppering his opponents with strikes. Fugitt has alternated wins and losses in the UFC but it is worth noting the talented opponents he has been matched up against. He is a very tough fighter that will find a way to keep every bout competitive. Fugitt is much more experienced than Miller and capable of gritting through very tough positions. While he may have what it takes to pull off this upset, I do not think he will win many striking exchanges or hold onto takedowns for very long. Miller will have the cardio to keep up his boxing late and separate himself from Fugitt. Ty Miller by Round Three KO
- Nick: Ty Miller will be making his promotional debut here, coming off an impressive Contender Series win over Jimmy Drago. He is 6-0 professionally and 25 years old. Miller is a high volume striker with a long and wiry frame. He as a reach advantage against most opponents, but he fights out of a compact stance. He has solid cardio and durability, but his grappling is somewhat untested against high level fighters and he’s undeniably taking a step up in competition here against Adam Fugitt. Miller’s boxing has been impressive on the regional level and it seems he’s making improvements from fight to fight. Still, there is certainly some volatility in backing him here as a heavy favorite. Adam Fugitt has decent striking ability, highlighted by a powerful left high kick. He’s shown solid wrestling ability as well, but most of his success has come against a questionable level of opponent. He is 10-5 professionally and 2-3 in the UFC, and at 37 years old he’s already well past his athletic prime. He can be dangerous offensively against almost anyone, but he’s hittable in exchanges and it seems he struggles against grapplers with any sort of quality credentials. Fugitt has an experience advantage here, but Miller size and speed should allow him to mostly keep this fight on the feet. The line feels wide, but I’m siding with the favorite. Ty Miller by Round Two KO
Josh Hokit -220 vs Denzel Freeman +180
- Anthony: This is a fight at heavyweight between Josh Hokit and Denzel Freeman. It should be an interesting matchup here as both men tend to do their best work while wrestling. The undefeated Hokit was a two-time All American wrestler at Fresno State. He has found a lot of success since transitioning to professional MMA and I think he has a bright future ahead in this very thin division. Hokit does well with a microphone in his hand and I think that the UFC can sell more fights as he continues to win. He is great with his offensive wrestling but also rather quick and agile for a heavyweight. Hokit’s striking is powerful, normally throwing big shots early in an attempt to sleep opponents before he must drag them to the mat. Freeman could provide some resistance when wrestling but I am expecting this to be a one-sided win for Hokit. It was a very underwhelming win for Freeman in his last performance. He will likely be fighting on his back foot here and forced to be defensive once again. I doubt that Freeman will be able to connect with quality counters or score any actions that give him the upper hand. Josh Hokit by Round One KO
- Nick: Josh Hokit is coming off a solid win in his UFC debut, which came via KO over Max Gimenis. He is 7-0 professionally and 28 years old, with four wins coming via KO and three coming via submission. He’s dangerous offensively and has shown an ability to finish a fight anywhere, but it’s tough to gauge his level as he’s been taking on a relatively mediocre level of opponent. He’s a credentialed wrestler with solid cardio for a heavyweight. He can be hittable, but he carries true KO power and he’s willing to close distance and engage in a firefight. Denzel Freeman, a former LFA Heavyweight Champion, is 34 years old and 7-1 professionally. Freeman has a background in wrestling, and his striking poses enough of a power threat that it needs to be respected by his opponents. His cardio does seem to be questionable at best, but he can push a pace for at least ten minutes with consistency. He’s coming off a win in his UFC debut over Marek Bujlo, but that was a mediocre performance in which he barely did enough to secure a narrow decision. This is a low level match-up, but I do see Hokit as the rightful favorite. If he’s not finding success on the feet, he’s the better wrestler in this match-up and the much more aggressive fighter of the two. Josh Hokit by Round One KO
Alexander Hernandez -110 vs Michael Johnson -110
- Anthony: This is a good matchup at lightweight between Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez. These two have combined for a total of 50 UFC fights. Last year was exceptional for Hernandez as he scored multiple wins and stoppages inside the distance. He has looked great over the course of his last four fights, appearing to be very strong in the cage and fighting more patiently than in his early career. This matchup is particularly interesting given the recent improvements we have seen out of these two athletes. Johnson has also been on a winning streak and climbing his way back into the rankings. His last win was impressive beating Daniel Zellhuber as a +550 betting underdog. He is still incredibly fast and throwing punches in combinations that other lightweights really struggle to evade. I expect both men to have their moments here throughout heavy boxing exchanges. Johnson will need to take control of this fight early by establishing his jab and forcing Hernandez to keep this fight at range. Hernandez was a moderate favorite when this fight was announced and I struggled making my selection. I do think he will benefit from mixing in his kicks and wrestling against Johnson but this is a true coin flip. I like the Hernandez side at pick em much more than I did earlier this week at -170. Alexander Hernandez by Decision
- Nick: Michael Johnson was once considered a future title contender at 155. He has notable wins over Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier, and Edson Barboza. That being said, there’s really no denying he’s a shell of the fighter he was in his prime. Johnson is a highly technical southpaw striker but his fight IQ and durability have deteriorated over the years. That being said, he does still occasionally show flashes of brilliance on the feet. The age gap is dramatic here, but Johnson is going to be the quicker fighter and the better technical fighter in this match-up. Alexander Hernandez has KO power on the feet. He’s also a decent defensive grappler, but his constant movement and aggressive style often leaves him tired and vulnerable in later rounds. His cardio has been improving since he moved his training camp to Colorado, but it still seems to be more of a weakness than a strength. He’s extremely gifted athletically, but wildly inconsistent. His hyper aggressive style almost always leads to him fading in later rounds if he can’t find that early finish. Hernandez is the younger fighter in this match-up, but Johnson should still have a speed advantage on the feet. This is a low confidence play, but I’m seeing value in the underdog here in a fight that should play out closely and likely hit the scorecards. Michael Johnson by Decision
Preliminary Card- Starts 7:00pm EST
Charles Johnson -185 vs Alex Perez +150
- Anthony: The prelims begin at flyweight with Charles Johnson facing Alex Perez. Johnson surprised many by winning his last fight with an upset of then undefeated Lone’er Kavanagh. Johnson is a fighter that normally exceeds expectations, especially when he has been counted out before. I do like his chances here facing the veteran Perez but this will likely be a close striking battle all throughout. Johnson averages 4.73 significant strikes per minute while Perez connects at a 4.16 rate. Perez blends wrestling into his fights as well but lacks the discipline to consistently bring opponents to the mat. Johnson defends 66 percent of opponent takedowns and also has the size to frame well and keep balance against the fence. Perez was winning his last fight using that wrestling too before getting caught in a guillotine choke. He has lost six total fights by submission and I cannot trust him to keep his neck safe given that trend. Perez was also more than two pounds heavy at Friday weigh-ins. It will be anyone’s fight if it does go to the scorecards but Johnson has better equity to win this matchup by finish with his hands or by latching on to Perez’ neck. Charles Johnson by Decision
- Nick: Charles Johnson is a former LFA flyweight champion, but he’s produced mixed results since he was promoted to the UFC. He’s a technically skilled boxer, but his defensive wrestling and grappling has proven to be a massive hole in his overall game. He is 7-5 in the UFC, coming off an impressive KO win over a rising prospect in Lone’er Kavanagh. He holds a notable KO win over the current flyweight champion, Joshua Van. Still, there is no denying the fact that most of his fights play out closely. Alex Perez has excellent footwork, throws a lot of volume and fights at an excellent pace. Additionally, his calf-kicking ability is as impressive as anyone in this division. He’s a solid grappler that isn’t afraid to shoot for takedowns. He also does a good job staying out of trouble and finding favorable positions in the scramble. As talented as he is, he is certainly past his prime, fighting professionally for nearly 15 years. This fight could certainly go either way, but Johnson is still improving as a fighter and Perez’s career seems like it is close to its conclusion. Perez can look good early if he gets his wrestling going, but before long I expect he gets outclassed at striking range. It is also notable that Perez missed weight for this fight. Charles Johnson by Round Three KO
Modestas Bukauskas -150 vs Nikita Krylov +125
- Anthony: This should be a good fight at light heavyweight between Nikita Krylov and Modestas Bukauskas. While these are two experienced fighters with skills in all areas, this can be handicapped best as a matchup between striker and grappler. Bukauskas has a clear advantage striking against Krylov who is much slower and less dynamic. He fought well in each appearance last year and I really think Bukauskas deserves a spot here in the rankings. Not only does Bukauskas throw great combinations, he also lands powerful kicks from range and frustrates opponents when engaging at distance. His wrestling appears to be much improved and I trust him to defend takedowns here facing Krylov. Both of Krylov’s appearances in 2025 saw him finished via round one knockout. His chin is a major concern for bettors but so is his poor decision making in recent fights. Krylov is really starting to look his age and move even slower than before. Bukauskas could find himself in some uncomfortable spots here but I expect it to largely be a matchup that he dominates. Bukauskas doesn’t have the power to stop Krylov with one punch but I do believe he will find a knockout here as the damage starts to accumulate. At these odds Bukauskas is one of my favorite bets on this card. Modestas Bukauskas by Round Three KO
- Nick: Modestas Bukauskas is 6’3 with a 78-inch reach. He fights even longer than that, as he keeps a wide stance both striking and defending against takedowns. His greatest strength is his powerful striking, but he seems to leave his hands down which leaves him vulnerable against other powerful punchers. His grappling continues to improve, and he is certainly a fighter who has been consistently improving his skills as he is still young for the division at just 31 years old. Nikita Krylov is more than willing to eat shots to throw them. He’s a talented kickboxer with extremely powerful kicks. If he can take fights to the mat he’s also an aggressive offensive grappler, with sixteen of his thirty professional wins coming by way of submission. Krylov enters this match-up coming off back-to-back ugly losses via KO. As talented as he is, there is no denying his chin and durability seem to be deteriorating with age. Krylov’s chin and durability are a major concern here, but I still see value in him as the underdog as the much more skilled fighter in this match-up. Bukauskas isn’t known as a KO artist, so Krylov’s skill advantages could have a chance to shine through here. Nikita Krylov by Round Two Submission
Ateba Gautier -900 vs Andrey Pulyaev +600
- Anthony: Next is a fight at middleweight between Andrey Pulyaev and Ateba Gautier. This will be the fourth appearance in the promotion for Gautier who is certainly a prospect to watch develop throughout this year. Gautier is a physical specimen and one of the most dynamic athletes currently on the roster. At just 23 years old, Gautier has already filled out this 185 pound frame. He is 6’4 with an 81” reach, currently the longest at middleweight. Pulyaev is listed at the same height but he is not nearly as muscular and built compared to Gautier. Pulyaev’s experience fighting longer bouts does give him one advantage against Gautier but this matchup will likely be one-sided for however long it does last. Pulyaev tends to do his best work boxing and throwing kickboxing combinations. Gautier should be able to move forward in this fight without concern for the offense coming back at him. He will be adding to his highlight reel here as the promotion continues to slowly build his confidence with rather soft matchmaking. Ateba Gautier by Round One KO
- Nick: Ateba Gautier is just 23 years old, and 9-1 professionally. Primarily a striker, all but one of his professional wins has come by KO. He carries a lot of momentum into this fight and he’s now 3-0 in the UFC, but he’s still far from developed in terms of his overall technical ability. He’s an explosive athlete and he’s dangerous no matter where his fights go, but he can be hittable in exchanges and he can be tentative at times as he waits for fights to come to him. Additionally, there is a chance his hyper-aggressive style could eventually cost him if his fights are extended as he starts to take on better opponents. Lucky for him, he’s in another extremely favorable match-up here against Andrey Pulyaev. Andrey Pulyaev is relatively well rounded, but he prefers to stand and strike. Six of his ten professional wins have come via KO. Pulyaev can be dangerous, but his willingness to exchange in the pocket makes him an easy target for seasoned strikers. Additionally, his defensive grappling is still somewhat of a question mark as he hasn’t really been tested against any top level grapplers. Simply put, the UFC is looking to build Gautier as a prospect here. They’re hoping to build Gautier’s highlight reel, and I expect they get their wish in this match-up. Ateba Gautier by Round One KO
Umar Nurmagomedov -1600 vs Deiveson Figueiredo +800
- Anthony: The featured prelim is a fight at bantamweight between Umar Nurmagomedov and Deiveson Figueiredo. It seems the former flyweight champion is being disrespected here at these wide betting odds. Figueiredo won in his most recent performance last fall facing Montel Jackson. He has always been great at tactically holding positions as needed to steal away rounds. Figueiredo’s best asset is his grappling which will likely be nullified by the offensive wrestling of Nurmagomedov. The Russian is bigger and stronger with much better control in top position. Nurmagomedov is a quick and dangerous striker but his best work is done on the mat. While Figueiredo was a blackbelt to be feared at flyweight, I do not think he will put Nurmagomedov into any compromising positions here tonight. Figueiredo will need to rely on landing big overhands landing despite not earning a victory by knockout since back in early 2020. At this point he is now 38 years old and not nearly as potent a finisher as he once was. It looked to be a brutal weight cut for Figueiredo and he still weighed in more than two pounds heavy. Nurmagomedov will not struggle to mute Figgy on offense and I predict he will win this fight decisively. Umar Nurmagomedov by Decision
- Nick: When he’s at his best, Deiveson Figueiredo is aggressive to the point that his opponents struggle to get into a rhythm against him. He pushes a ridiculous pace and does a good job circling away from danger in striking exchanges. He’s a competent grappler with dangerous BJJ, but he’s certainly most content to stand and trade on the feet. A former UFC Flyweight Champion, Figueiredo is past his prime. He is coming off a solid win over Montel Jackson, but there is no denying he’s running into a buzzsaw here in this match-up. Umar Nurmagomedov carries a lot of hype into this match-up, as a former M1 Global Bantamweight Champion and a protege/cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov. He’s 19-1, with the only loss of his career coming via decision in a title fight against Merab Dvalishvili. Numagomedov is a creative striker with excellent footwork and a diverse arsenal of kicks. He’s an excellent wrestler as well, but he has found a lot of success on the feet where he usually overwhelms his opponents with speed and power. The line here is ridiculous given the skill and athleticism of Figueiredo. Still, Nurmagomedov should dominate. He’s the better fighter everywhere, and the much better grappler in this match-up. It is also notable that Figueiredo missed weight for this fight. Umar Nurmagomedov by Round Two Submission
Main Card- Starts 9:00pm EST
Jean Silva -280 vs Arnold Allen +220
- Anthony: The main card begins at featherweight with Arnold Allen set to face Jean Silva. These two are both hyped to be fighting on the main card and working their way back into title contention. Silva had a poor showing in his last fight, completely outmatched by Diego Lopes. He is a very wild fighter that wasted energy way too early in that showing. I am a fan of his aggressive style but it will be interesting to see how Silva changes his gameplan now moving forward having learned from that loss. I think he is largely going to be the same fighter relying on the finish in order to win his fights early. Silva does not have the takedown defense to compete for long against a lot of the top contenders at this weight. Allen does not pose a grappling threat to Silva but he will likely give him problems on the feet. Silva will be rushing in and looking to land big offense while Allen takes a more measured approach and fights more tactically sound. Allen has never been finished before and he defends against 61 percent of opponent strike attempts. I expect the southpaw will give Silva trouble in this matchup and if a finish does not materialize for the Brazilian we will see Allen score well and potentially win. On a card lacking quality underdogs I think Allen is one that should be considered. Arnold Allen by Decision
- Nick: Jean Silva is 16-3 professionally, 28-years old, and fighting out of an excellent camp via Fighting Nerds in Brazil. Silva is relatively well-rounded with twelve wins coming via KO and three coming via submission. Silva has a flashy style, but it is certainly by design. He does a good job throwing feints to bait his opponents into power shots, and his durability and cardio have been strengths for him up to to this point in his career. He’s coming off an ugly loss to Diego Lopes, but outside of that fight he has been a dominant finisher since making his UFC debut. Arnold Allen is a talented striker who does an excellent job keeping pressure on his opponents. Most of his fights are won on the feet, but he’s shown a well-rounded overall game. He is 20-3 professionally, coming off a hard fought but convincing decision win over Giga Chikadze. Allen is live as an underdog here, but he doesn’t really have the grappling to neutralize Silva’s offensive striking abilities. Silva is capable of making dumb mistakes, but coming off a loss I expect he’ll be locked in for this one. Jean Silva by Round Three KO
Natalia Silva -420 vs Rose Namajunas +310
- Anthony: Next is a fight at women’s flyweight between Rose Namajunas and Natalia Silva. This should be a competitive fight throughout despite what these betting odds suggest. Namajunas will be retiring from the sport sometime soon yet she still fights with the vigor that she had as a rising strawweight contender. While she has looked healthy fighting here in this weight class I do believe Namajunas is undersized in comparison to Silva. In these grappling exchanges I am doubtful that Rose will be able to maintain strong positions. She is going to be reliant on her striking here to win this particular matchup. Silva is on a seven fight win streak since joining the UFC. Both of her previous victories have come over former division champions. She has looked incredible, outworking her opponents and winning convincingly with her kickboxing. Silva hits a bit harder than Namajunas but also is the more effective athlete when it comes to throwing her kicks. These two will put defense first and fight strategically tonight, throwing each and every punch with intent. It stands to reason that the winner of this bout will be challenging for the title before this year ends. While there is some value on Namajunas as the underdog I do think Silva will do enough to win every round. This will very likely be a fight that goes the distance. Natalia Silva by Decision
- Nick: Natalia Silva is relatively well-rounded, with seven of her nineteen professional wins coming via submission and five coming via KO. She is coming off seven-straight wins under the UFC banner and thirteen consecutive wins overall. She most recently secured an impressive win via decision over a former champion in Alexa Grasso, a fight in which she showcased dramatic improvements in her striking abilities. Lately, her shots have been more powerful, and her footwork is developing into a major strength for her when she’s striking at range. Rose Namajunas is extremely quick when throwing combinations, carries surprising power for her frame and does an excellent job baiting her opponents into strikes. She has dangerous BJJ offensively and her wrestling continues to improve. As talented as she is, she’s been building a reputation as an inconsistent fighter. She’s 3-3 in her last six fights, but the former strawweight champion has faced mixed results since moving up to flyweight. The line feels too wide here, but Silva is a younger and quicker version of Rose. I expect she can stay a step ahead here on her way to a convincing decision. Natalia Silva by Decision
Waldo Cortes-Acosta -325 vs Derrick Lewis +250
- Anthony: The featured bout is a fight at heavyweight between Derrick Lewis and Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Salsa Boy is now rank #5 in the division after a sensational year. He is a true fighter and somebody that represents the spirit of all Dominicans. Cortes-Acosta’s last fight was a victory coming on just days notice against Shamil Gaziev. He arrived in Qatar just hours prior to that matchup and yet he still emerged victorious with a knockout in round one. Cortes-Acosta also suffered a bad eye-poke in a fight versus Antee Delija but rallied there to win by knockout nonetheless. Lewis is not more skilled than Waldo’s previous opponents but this will still certainly be a tough challenge in terms of style. While he does prefer to stand and strike against his opponents, that is a dangerous proposition when facing The Black Beast. Derrick Lewis has a record 16 UFC wins via knockout. Both of his previous two appearances ended in victories inside of one minute. He is fearless and hits with such power that opponents almost always fall when he does connect. He should be considered a live underdog here as Lewis really only ever needs to land one shot. Cortes-Acosta will try fighting him cleanly from the outside but it is important that he does not put himself in harm’s way too often. Cortes-Acosta also does well landing big right counters off of timing his opponent’s jab. The decisive edge in speed for Cortes-Acosta should be enough to yield him this win. I am expecting Lewis to eventually succumb to knockout tonight after eating a barrage of shots from the surging contender. Waldo Cortes-Acosta by Round One KO
- Nick: Waldo Cortes-Acosta is 9-2 in the UFC and he continues to show improvements in all facets of his game. He’s athletic for a heavyweight, he has shown decent cardio and durability, but he often sacrifices defense as a means to close distance on his opponents. He has solid technical striking ability, but he mostly throws to set up his powerful overhand right. Derrick Lewis doesn’t throw much volume, but he is an extremely skilled counter-striker who has shown, on several occasions, that he has enough power to end any fight with a single punch. He’s a true knockout artist with twenty-four of his twenty-nine professional wins coming via KO. As is always the case with heavyweights, this is a very volatile match-up. Lewis will be dangerous early here, but Cortes Acosta likely has the durability and cardio to take over this fight as it wears on. If he can weather an early storm, I expect he can find a finish as Lewis starts to fade. Waldo Cortes-Acosta by Round Two KO
Sean O’Malley -210 vs Song Yadong +170
- Anthony: The co-main event is a matchup at bantamweight with Sean O’Malley facing Song Yadong. O’Malley lost both of his previous matchups facing another former champion in Merab Dvalishvili. It is not surprising that he tends to struggle facing grapplers but O’Malley’s takedown defense really has improved. This is a very favorable matchup facing another striker like Yadong. I do not expect either to be pursuing takedowns here with this largely being a boxing match. Yadong will likely want to close the distance using his kicks. He can land combinations on O’Malley in the pocket but that requires overcoming a five-inch edge in reach. Yadong also lands 4.58 significant strikes per minute compared to O’Malley who lands 6.30 on average. I am expecting this to be a classic performance from the Suga Show. Watch for O’Malley to find his range early here and tee-off against Yadong. He should be able to land knees up the middle as he moves in to fight him as well. We have seen Sean thrive in many fights like this before, opposing strikers that cannot keep pace with him. He should be firing on all cylinders here with only three rounds scheduled compared to a championship five. Sean O’Malley by Round Two KO
- Nick: Sean O’Malley is extremely fast and agile on the feet with phenomenal overall striking ability. He is defensively sound, and he does an excellent job baiting his opponents with feints. What he lacks in one shot power, he more than makes up for with speed and precision. He has an excellent +2.82 striking differential which is amongst the best on the entire UFC roster. O’Malley sports a decent 61% takedown defense coming into this match-up, and that is coming off two losses to a credentialed grappler in Merab Dvalishvili. While there are questions surrounding his headspace coming into this fight, there is no denying this is a far more favorable match-up than what he’s been dealing with lately. Song Yadong has serious power in his strikes with nine of his twenty-two professional wins coming by way of knockout. He’s an effective striker that does a good job mixing in shots to the body to slow the momentum of his opponents. Primarily a striker, we have seen Yadong continue to improve on his grappling ability. These improvements are likely a result of the fact he’s been training out of Team Alpha Male (a camp loaded with talented wrestlers). Yadong could get his grappling going early here, but I expect he has issues keeping O’Malley down if he does. I expect O’Malley can mostly stay standing as he utilizes his advantages in reach and footwork to win this fight at range. Sean O’Malley by Decision
Paddy Pimblett -250 vs Justin Gaethje +200
- Anthony: The main event decides the world lightweight championship as Justin Gaethje will be facing Paddy Pimblett. Ilia Topuria has vacated his title for the time being and as a result we are getting treated to this great fight to start the new year. Pimblett has delivered on all of the hype surrounding him since joining the promotion and now it all culminates with this title opportunity here in Las Vegas. He is 7-0 against UFC opponents with his best victory coming last year in a fight against Michael Chandler. Pimblett has a decisive edge grappling against most opponents with his jiu jitsu blackbelt. I was impressed seeing him blend striking with dominant top control en route to that beatdown of Chandler who was an elite collegiate wrestler. Gaethje is a striker that does not do well defending takedowns and submission attempts. In two prior opportunities challenging for the title, Gaethje was easily submitted by Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Pimblett should be able to follow a similar gameplan here, likely snatching Gaethje’s neck at some point throughout this fight. However, Gaethje should not be completely overlooked due to his elite boxing and striking offense. It is important that Pimblett does not engage recklessly against Gaethje on the feet because he has always been able to thrive in those sorts of brawls. Gaethje absorbs more strikes than his average 6.59 significant lands per minute, but he is comfortable taking shots in order to land his own. These odds appear to give Gaethje a fair shot of landing a knockout win but Pimblett has never been finished by strikes in his professional career. His awkward and unpredictable style will give Gaethje fits standing until Pimblett is eventually able to bring this bout down to the mat. Another win by stoppage for Paddy the Baddy will make him into an even bigger star. And New. Paddy Pimblett by Round Two Submission
- Nick: Paddy Pimblett is primarily a grappler, and his greatest advantage is certainly his highly aggressive and dangerous style. He hunts for submissions from almost any position. His BJJ is certainly his greatest strength, but we’ve seen consistent improvement in his striking from fight to fight. The biggest knock on Pimblett are the holes in his striking defense. He keeps his chin high in exchanges and we’ve seen him clipped, more than once. He’s made major improvements over the past few years, but there is no denying he’s taking a step up in competition here as he challenges for the Interim Lightweight Championship. He is undefeated in the UFC, and enters this fight on a nine-fight win streak. Justin Gaethje is a fan favorite who has built his career on toughness and durability, but there is no denying his career is on a bit of a downturn. At his best, he’s a potent striker with power in all of his limbs. His leg-kicking ability is amongst the best in the division, and while he tends to win on volume more than pure on shot power, he has secured flash KOs against an elite level of opponent. This should be a competitive fight that is somewhat binary in nature. Gaethje is the much better striker in this match-up, but Pimblett will be deadly if this fight hits the mat. Almost anything could happen in this one, but I do see Pimblett finding the takedown he needs to work for a submission. He should be durable enough to hang on the feet, and he’s entering his athletic prime as Gaethje’s is fading. And New. Paddy Pimblett by Round Two Submission
-Nick Marro
Twitter: @NickMarroDFS
-Anthony Marro
Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_
Photo: UFC.com