Urijah Faber Analyzes Gaethje vs. Pimblett Interim Title Fight

Urijah Faber believes Justin Gaethje may hold a slight edge over Paddy Pimblett when the two collide at UFC 324 next month.

Pimblett (23–3 MMA, 7–0 UFC) and Gaethje (26–5 MMA, 9–5 UFC) are set to square off in the main event of the UFC’s first card of 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on January 24. The event will usher in the new Paramount Plus era for the promotion, and with current 155-pound champion Ilia Topuria on a self-imposed sabbatical due to family issues, an interim title will be on the line.

Gaethje previously captured the interim lightweight belt by defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in 2020, before later losing a title unification bout to Khabib Nurmagomedov that same year. He earned another opportunity to claim undisputed gold two years later but was submitted by Charles Oliveira at UFC 274.

“The Highlight” rebounded by knocking out Dustin Poirier the following year to claim the BMF title, and it is that experience in championship bouts that former bantamweight contender Faber believes could prove pivotal when Gaethje steps into the Octagon to face Pimblett next month.

“Man, I got to go with Gaethje,” Faber told Helen Yee. “I feel like he's the one that enjoys a knockdown drag out (type of fight) more than the other guy. Not that Paddy Pimblett doesn't love to fight. It's just Gaethje loves to actually get down and throw fist for fist.

“And he's also got the Division One wrestling to kind of negate some of the biggest skill sets of Paddy. Paddy's like a very dominant grappler when it comes to submissions and being aggressive with that. I think Gaethje has the tools to keep it where he wants it, and I think that's going to give him an edge.”