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Gaethje Defends UFC 324 Game Plan as Pimblett Faces Scrutiny and Topuria Bout Nears

Gaethje frames his win as a pressure-first plan that avoided hooks to protect position.

Overview

  • Speaking with Demetrious Johnson, Justin Gaethje said he refused to sink hooks because he historically loses position there, instead using front headlocks and constant forward pressure.
  • Gaethje dismissed Paddy Pimblett’s leg kicks as too light to deter him and said that realization let him walk Pimblett down, while also crediting the Brit’s durability over five rounds.
  • Pimblett released fight‑day footage showing heavy carbohydrate meals and candy snacking, drawing online criticism over his preparation even as assessments of any impact remained subjective.
  • Longtime analyst Din Thomas praised Pimblett’s toughness yet said he highly doubts the Liverpudlian becomes a UFC champion due to discipline concerns, while also calling Gaethje’s path against Ilia Topuria an uphill battle rather than a lost cause.
  • Mateusz Gamrot labeled Pimblett’s UFC 324 showing below top level and expressed interest in fighting him next to test perceived gaps, as Gaethje’s interim title win positions him for a likely unification with a returning Topuria, potentially targeted for June’s planned White House card.