UFC 324 predictions: Will Gaethje or Pimblett win interim title?
theScore's Nick Baldwin makes his picks ahead of Saturday's UFC 324 in Las Vegas.
Interim lightweight championship
Justin Gaethje (26-5)
vs.
Paddy Pimblett (23-3)
Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will kick off the Paramount+ era with a bang.
The two lightweight contenders are scheduled to square off in Saturday's main event with the interim lightweight title - and a crack at Ilia Topuria later this year - on the line.
Fresh off a career-best win over Michael Chandler that cemented him as a contender in the division, Pimblett has the recipe to keep the train rolling against Gaethje. The 31-year-old Englishman's grappling is elite; rather than just looking to rack up control time, he brutalizes opponents on the mat with effective ground-and-pound and hunts submissions.
We've seen Gaethje struggle against those kinds of fighters in the past, most notably Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. While Pimblett may not be on the same level as those former champions, he has enough physical strength to dictate the course of the fight.
This will be Pimblett's coming-out party as he sets up a megafight against Topuria.
π The pick: Pimblett, third-round submission
π Check out all of the betting markets available for UFC 324 on theScore Bet here
Bantamweight bout
Sean O'Malley (18-3, 1 NC)
vs.
Song Yadong (22-8-1, 1 NC)
For the first time since 2022, former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley will appear in a non-title bout. But he'll be right back in the title picture if he beats Song Yadong.
Both O'Malley and Song prefer to strike, so there isn't much reason to think this fight will hit the ground. On the feet, O'Malley's range gives him the edge. I expect "Suga" to pick apart his opponent with jabs, land some devastating blows throughout, and walk away with a decisive victory that puts him back in the conversation for a crack at Petr Yan's belt.
π The pick: O'Malley, unanimous decision
Heavyweight bout
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (16-2)
vs.
Derrick Lewis (29-12, 1 NC)
Rising contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta is on a tear, winning seven of his last eight fights. With one or two more victories, he could find himself in a title fight against Tom Aspinall. However, he'll need to get past Derrick Lewis first.
The logical pick here is Cortes-Acosta, given he's in the prime of his career and Lewis isn't, but logic doesn't always matter in Lewis fights. I'm taking "The Black Beast" to turn back the clock again with a signature knockout.
π The pick: Lewis, first-round knockout
Women's flyweight bout
Natalia Silva (19-5-1)
vs.
Rose Namajunas (14-7)
Natalia Silva is coming off back-to-back wins over former champions, so what's one more? Rose Namajunas will have her work cut out for her against Silva, who looks more and more like a future champion every time she steps into the cage.
π The pick: Silva, unanimous decision
Featherweight bout
Arnold Allen (20-3)
vs.
Jean Silva (16-3)
This fight feels like it'll go one of two ways: either Silva sparks Allen early, or Allen weathers the storm and drags Silva into deep waters. I'm going out on a bit of a limb and saying the crafty veteran gets it done.
π The pick: Allen, unanimous decision
Rapid-fire bets
π₯ Best overall bet: Sean O'Malley (-210) def. Song Yadong
Assuming the two losses to Merab Dvalishvili haven't completely ruined him, O'Malley shouldn't have much of an issue getting back on track in the co-main event.
π₯ Best prop bet: Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis goes under 2.5 rounds (-190)
Hopefully I'm not jinxing myself here, but I can't see these two heavyweights making it to the final horn.