UFC 324 takeaways: Gaethje, O'Malley still know how to put on a show - ESPN

The first UFC event of 2026 on Saturday brought the action we've missed during the six-week break. The interim lightweight matchup between two of the toughest fighters in MMA somehow went the distance after five bloody rounds. Justin Gaethje earned every bit of his unanimous decision victory over Paddy Pimblett and took home a second career interim belt. The win likely sets up a unification bout with champion Ilia Topuria in the spring.

Sean O'Malley returned to his winning ways against Song Yadong after nearly two years without an Octagon victory. The relief on O'Malley's face after his arm was raised was clear, and with a familiar O'Malley foe back in control of the men's bantamweight division, maybe a path back to the title picture is in view for «Suga.»

Brett Okamoto, Andreas Hale and Jeff Wagenheim give their takeaways on those bouts and the performances of Natalia Silva and Waldo Cortes-Acosta, who might also have championship opportunities in their futures.

Rumors of Gaethje's demise were greatly exaggerated. Although Gaethje has openly discussed closing in on the final chapter of his excellent fighting career, «The Highlight» showed against Pimblett that he has gas left in the tank. After Gaethje lost by a brutal knockout to Max Holloway, the expectation was that his violent fighting style had finally caught up with him and taken too many years off his career.

While that might be true to a degree, it's not quite over for Gaethje, who is now in line for a unification fight with Topuria, who is on a self-imposed hiatus from MMA.

What we saw from Gaethje was a violent, offensive outing that nearly proved wrong Pimblett's proclamation that «scousers don't get knocked out.» Gaethje nearly finished Pimblett in the