Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett delivered one of the most thrilling performances in recent memory at UFC 324. Yet not everyone was left impressed by the UFC’s first main event on Paramount.
After combining for nearly 650 thrown strikes and 370 landed blows, Gaethje and Pimblett emerged from Saturday’s war of attrition with Gaethje capturing his second interim lightweight championship. It was a brutal, bloody affair — a back-and-forth war off attrition that saw the underdog prove he’s still an elite contender, and the polarizing Pimblett demonstrate that he’s far tougher than many expected.
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Perhaps as expected with any fight involving Pimblett, the duo’s fellow UFC fighters were left divided by what they watched unfold at UFC 324.
Some, such as UFC legend Dustin Poirier, used it as an opportunity to dunk on “The Baddy,” while others like Josh Barnett and Matt Brown opined about the at-times sloppy technique employed by both main-eventers. Still, many others simply celebrated Gaethje vs. Pimblett for what it was — a sensational display of heart and will, which set a high bar for 2026’s Fight of the Year race.
Check out a sampling of that reaction from across the MMA world below.
Check out complete UFC 324 results, highlights and round-by-round play-by-play here.
