UFC Fighter Slams Company After Paddy Pimblett Handed Title Fight Instead of Him

A top contender in the lightweight division has made his feelings clear after it was announced that Paddy 'The Baddy' Pimblett will face Justin Gaethje for the interim title.

UFC president Dana White took to Instagram on Thursday night to confirm the line-up for UFC 324 on January 24.

Kayla Harrison is fighting Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title in the co-main event, while former champion Sean O'Malley will take on Song Yadong, who is ranked #5 in the bantamweight rankings.

The big talking point, however, was the decision to hand Pimblett a shot at the interim title, especially after Arman Tsarukyan's victory over Dan Hooker on November 22.

Tsarukyan secured the #1 spot in the lightweight rankings and climbed to #13 in the pound-for-pound list following his win over Hooker, but the UFC have opted against giving the Armenian a title chance.

Arman Tsarukyan secured a submission victory over Dan Hooker. Image credit: Getty

The news comes after current champion Ilia Topuria confirmed that he will not fight until spring 2026 due to personal issues.

"I won’t be fighting in the first quarter of next year," the two-division champion wrote on X. "I’m going through a difficult moment in my personal life. I want to focus on my children and resolve this situation as soon as possible."

"I don’t want to hold up the division," he added. "The UFC will make the matchups needed, and as soon as the matters are resolved I'll let the UFC know I'm ready to begin my return."

Shortly after Pimblett was booked to face Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title, Tsarukyan appeared to make his feelings clear on the situation. He wrote on X: "Make it make sense [facepalm emoji]."

Tsarukyan has already played down Pimblett's ability in a recent interview with Daniel Cormier.

"Paddy cannot beat even Oliveira. He cannot beat even Hooker. He cannot beat [Dustin] Poirier. He cannot beat [Justin] Gaethje. He cannot beat [Max] Holloway. He cannot beat me," said the Armenina. "He sucks."

Ilia Topuria faces off against Paddy Pimblett at UFC 317 in June. Image credit: Getty

Ariel Helwani criticises Gaethje vs Pimblett booking and questions Tsarukyan exclusion

Speaking on the The Ariel Helwani Show, the MMA journalist criticised the booking for UFC 324, which will take place in Las Vegas on January 24.

"It is an interim title fight, by the way, that does not feature a number one contender. Because the number one contender at 155 pounds is a guy named Arman Tsarukyan. And he's not involved in this fight.

"And of course, the champion, Ilia Topuria, is not involved in this fight. This is a makeshift fight. This is as prestigious as a BMF title.

"God bless. I said I wanted to see Paddy fight for the belt. God bless. I said, Justin, you know, I think you need to win a couple more. He said he was going to retire. Unless he got a title fight.

I guess he's not retiring. He's fighting for an interim title. But this is a bogus fight.

"It's insane to me that it is headlining over Kayla Harrison versus Amanda Nunes. On paper, Paddy versus Justin. If Paddy wasn't fighting Ilia, and Ilia is supposed to fight Arman, on paper, Paddy versus Justin is a fine fight to determine the number one contender to fight Ilia and or Arman.

"Ilia won that belt back in June. I don't even think you need an interim title fight. Honestly, it should have been the co-main event, five-round, number one contender fight, Ilya versus Arman, second half of the year.

"What's the problem with that? And now what you've just said, because he reiterated this in the Instagram live, the winner of this fight is going to fight Ilia. What happens to Arman? Arman's going to have to fight who? What is going on? What does Arman Tsarukyan have to do to get a shot at the belt now?"

Helwani continued: "I know he had the fight back in January. He got hurt. Sue the guy. He sat patiently. He went out there. He steamrolled right through Dan Hooker. He did exactly what he had to do. He did what Khamzat and Islam did not do.

"He finished his opponent on the ground in dominant, impressive fashion. And now what is he? Now he's just floating in the wind. And he's not even next, apparently.

"Now, of course, everything could change. Nothing really means anything. They make up the rules as they go along.

"But to put Justin and Paddy in the interim title shot slot, and then have the winner of that fight fight Ilia is insane to me. And worse than that, worse than that, because we have seen interim title fights that have felt a little fugazi. I cannot believe that they are headlining this card with that fight."