Justin Gaethje emerged as the winner of UFC 324 after a punishing five-round main event, defeating Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision to begin 2026 as a UFC champion.
After 25 minutes of relentless action, Justin Gaethje was awarded the win on all three judges’ scorecards, taking it 48-46, 49-47 and 49-47 over Paddy Pimblett. The verdict capped a bruising, high-tempo contest that lived up to the build-up and left both fighters visibly marked.
Gaethje’s win was built on pressure, toughness and the heavier damage. From the opening round, he drove Pimblett backwards with right hands, inside leg kicks and tense exchanges at close range. Pimblett had his spells—particularly with the jab and late surges—but the more telling shots, and the more consistent impact, came from Gaethje.
The decisive stretch arrived in the second round, when Gaethje dropped Pimblett and followed with elbows and ground strikes that came close to ending the fight. That 10-8 round shaped the maths for the rest of the night and left Pimblett needing to chase momentum for much of what followed.
🏆 @Justin_Gaethje brings the belt home 🏠
— UFC (@ufc) January 25, 2026
When & where do you want him next? 👀
[ #UFC324 | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/nBs8CBlo7r
UFC 324 will be remembered less for controversy than for sheer endurance: two fighters meeting in the middle for long stretches, trading in exhausting bursts, with Justin Gaethje walking away as the winner when it mattered most.
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