Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett's Next Best Fights After UFC 324 Results

Justin Gaethje isn't done just yet. The 37-year-old once again captured the interim UFC lightweight title with a unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett in the main event of UFC 324.

Pimblett's rising star took a major hit on Saturday night when he was handed his first loss in the UFC.

The results most likely sets up a fight between Gaethje and lightweight titleholder Ilia Topuria. But the question of where Pimblett goes from here and how he responds to the setback might be even more intriguing.

Let's take a look at what could be on the horizon for both of UFC 324's main event combatants.

Gaethje's Next Best Fights

Ian Maule/Getty Images

Ilia Topuria

Ilia Topuria

Arman Tsarukyan

Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira winner

Justin Gaethje isn't getting any younger and putting away Pimblett is more than enough justification for a title shot. That's the clear and most logical fight to make.

However, it can't be ignored that Topuria has elected to take a brief hiatus due to personal reasons. He said he will not fight in the first quarter of 2026 so there's at least some uncertainty about when he'll be ready to get in the cage again.

If he wants to extend his sabbatical then the UFC would have to pivot to keep Gaethje active.

That could lead to a logical matchup with Arman Tsarukyan. There are some who would say that Tsarukyan should be next in line for a title shot anyway. His current five-fight win streak includes victories over Dan Hooker and Charles Oliveira.

Speaking of Oliveira, his March fight with Max Holloway could create a sneaky title contender thanks to their name recognition.

Both Holloway and Oliveira have wins over Gaethje so a rematch with a title of some kind on the line would make a lot of sense.

Pimblett's Next Best Fights

Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Arman Tsarukyan

Arman Tsarukyan

Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira Winner

Dan Hooker vs. Benoit Saint-Denis Winner

The Paddy Pimblett hype train might have hit a serious snag on Saturday night. But don't expect him to fade away any time soon. Pimblett's drawing power combined with an undefeated record in the UFC before this loss will keep him in the spotlight.

From a purely competitive standpoint, that would mean a date with Arman Tsarukyan. Some would say that Tsarukyan should have been involved in this fight.

He's the No. 1-ranked contender in the latest UFC rankings. So while Pimblett got the nod to fight Gaethje because it was nearly guaranteed to create fireworks, it's hard to deny that Tsarukyan is truly one of the best fighters in the division.

If Pimblett could find a way to win that fight, he would instantly get right back in line for a championship opportunity.

The UFC might not be willing to push him into that kind of spot off a loss, though. Some upcoming lightweight bouts might decide what's best for Pimblett next.

The first one up will be a bout between Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint-Denis next weekend. With Gaetje set to fight for the title the winner will have some time to build their resume and a win over Pimblett would provide additional spotlight.

If the UFC wants to continue to feed Pimblett older, more recognizable names then the winner of Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira is the move. Both are for mer champions who could be looking for fights to get them back in contention.

That's an easy UFC co-main event on another numbered event.