Pimblett Vows Return After Topuria Loss | UFC News

The first event of the UFC season served as the starting point for the ‘Paramount era’. And it was inaugurated with an indisputable victory by the American Justin Gaethje over the English rising star Paddy Pimblett, achieving a unanimous decision victory at UFC 324, which was held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Gaethje’s victory earned him his second interim lightweight championship (155 pounds. 70.3 kilos) and opens the doors to a unified title fight against the absolute champion, Ilia Topuria, who announced a temporary break in his career last November due to his personal problems, but is expected to return in June 2026 if everything continues its course. It was a hard blow for Paddy Pimblett, Topuria’s ‘archenemy’, and who planned to win to finally be able to face the Hispanic-Georgian, after several years of exchanges of words and tensions that will probably never be resolved in the octagon. After numerous criticisms for his poor strategy during the fight, the Englishman came forward with a statement on his social networks. «I hope everyone enjoyed my fight as much as I did, I want to thank everyone who came to support me and everyone who supports me at home. “I’m all good, no injuries, I went into the fight feeling incredibly good, I had done a great training camp and an easy weight cut, but I don’t make excuses: the best man won on the night and that was Justin Gaethje,” Paddy said on his Instagram account. «Congratulations, brother, it was an honor to share the cage with such a legend. Now go get that undisputed title because your career deserves it. Hopefully we can make another run towards the undisputed title because I still know that it is in my destiny to win that gold. To the UFC: thanks for the opportunity. “Everyone knows that I will return for that belt in the near future,” said the Englishman. The truth is that the competitiveness that exists at lightweight, with numerous contenders claiming their opportunity, including Arman Tsarukyan or whoever wins the duel between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, suggests that Paddy Pimblett will have a tough road until he has the opportunity again if he continues to add wins.