UFC 324 Recap: Gaethje vs. Pimblett, Big Finishes, and Major Takeaways

UFC 324 Recap: Gaethje vs. Pimblett, Big Finishes, and Major Takeaways

Welcome back, fight fans! UFC 324 went down last night, and if you missed it—wow, you missed a good one. We had everything: knockouts, weird endings, upsets, and bangers from top to bottom. The card was stacked, and I’m here to break it all down fight-by-fight, sharing my honest thoughts, analysis, and what I’d like to see next.

Whether you’re a hardcore MMA fan or just getting into the sport, I’ll make this a fun, easy-to-follow break down. Grab a drink, kick back, and let’s talk UFC 324.

Main Card Recap

Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva: Skill vs. Power

Arnold Allen is always a tough out and came into this one ranked top-5. Right away, he looked sharp—fast hands, tight footwork, you could see how technical his game is. For a while, it looked like Allen was going to take it. But in MMA, sometimes pure power is the difference.
Jean Silva showed from round two he carried a ton of pop in his shots. He made some adjustments, started walking Allen down, and the fight shifted when you realized Silva’s punches could do more damage—even if Allen was landing the cleaner shots early.

Breakdown:

• Arnold Allen’s Approach: Great technique, lots of volume, got Silva’s attention early.
  
• Jean Silva’s Adjustment: As the fight went on, Silva’s power started to tell. You could almost see Allen trying to stay away from anything wild.
  
• Turning Point: Second and third rounds. Silva cracked Allen, and that changed everything.

Congrats to Jean Silva, who just beat a legit top-5 guy and likely tossed himself right into the rankings. That’s a life-changing win. For Allen, it’s a tough loss, but he’ll be back.

Natalia Silva vs. Rose Namajunas: Close, But Silva’s Power Shines

This was a close fight—closer than the scorecards maybe said. Rose Namajunas came to scrap as always. Early on, it was technical, even, and Rose actually out-grappled Silva in one of the rounds.

But, like the fight before, the separating factor was power and athleticism. Silva’s explosiveness was obvious. When she turned it on, especially in the final frame, you could feel the fight swinging her way.

Key Highlights:

• Rose’s Grappling: Used her wrestling well, controlling parts of one round.
  
• Silva’s Athleticism: Super explosive, quick to scramble up, hit hard in the exchanges.
  
• Final Round: Silva just poured it on and made sure the judges remembered her output.

This win puts Natalia Silva in a great spot in the division. For Rose, it was a solid showing, just came up a bit short against a strong, athletic opponent.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis: Strange Endings

Whenever Derrick Lewis fights, you know you’re gonna get something wild. This fight started out competitive and tactical. Waldo Cortes-Acosta came in with great leg kicks, slick footwork, and looked a lot faster than people gave him credit for. Lewis, as always, was hunting for the KO.

But the ending... man, that was weird. Lewis slipped—maybe hurt his knee, maybe just lost his footing—and Cortes-Acosta pounced. He advanced position, passed guard, and rained down ground-and-pound for the finish.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Waldo’s Gameplan: Smart with quick kicks and movement. Didn’t let Lewis set to throw bombs.
  
• Lewis’s Struggles: Having trouble tracking Acosta’s movement, couldn’t trap him in the cage.
  
• Finishing Sequence: Lewis slipped, got caught on the ground, and it was over.

Major win for Cortes-Acosta. For Lewis, just a tough ending. You hate to see a veteran lose by slip, but that’s the game sometimes.

Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong: The Sugar Show is Back

Co-main event time, and this one had plenty of hype. Sean O’Malley came in looking to prove he’s still top-tier. Song Yadong—dangerous, powerful, and never out of a fight.

Right away, the difference was footwork and confidence. O’Malley looked loose, changing stances, picking shots, and defensively slick. Song landed some nice ones early, but O’Malley’s variety kept him guessing.

Fight Notes:

• O’Malley’s Defense: Looked sharp, avoided the big power shots, switched stances.
  
• Hands: Landed lots of straight rights and lefts from both sides.
  
• Song’s Power: Gave O’Malley trouble early, but couldn’t keep it up.

Most had O’Malley taking the later rounds, really taking over as Song slowed. Good matchup for O’Malley, but now fans want to see him fight someone like Petr Yan again. That rematch would be crazy!

What do you think? Should Sugar Sean get Yan next?

Main Event: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett – Absolute War

This is what we came for. If you love wars, if you love heart and toughness, this was your kind of fight. Justin Gaethje, one of the scariest bangers in the sport, taking on the scrappy, unpredictable Paddy Pimblett.

Personally, I’ve been in there with Gaethje, so I know first-hand how hard that guy hits. Pimblett? He took more right hands in this fight than most of Gaethje’s previous opponents combined—and he just kept coming!

Round-by-Round Breakdown

Round 1:

• Fast pace, lots of exchanges.
  
• Gaethje lands good right hands; Pimblett proves he’s got a chin.
  
• Pimblett mixes in leg kicks, trying to keep Gaethje off balance.

Round 2:

• Pimblett continues to chop with kicks.
  
• Gaethje starts walking him down, but Pimblett throws more volume.
  
• Both guys eat shots, but Pimblett really keeps Gaethje honest with his output.

Round 3 and beyond:

• War of attrition.
  
• Pimblett’s defense isn’t perfect—he’s getting tagged—but keeps throwing.
  
• Gaethje is fast-twitch, closes the distance, but not using as many leg kicks as you’d expect.

Fact is: Most guys go down from Gaethje’s right hand. Not Paddy. He just kept plugging away, knew he’d have to eat some shots to give some, and gave Gaethje fits with sheer volume.

Tactical Takeaways

• Gaethje’s Missing Weapon: Leg kicks! The commentary team nailed it—Gaethje didn’t use them as much as in the WSOF days, where he’d bust up legs and finish fights.
  
• Pimblett’s Grit: Threw combos, forced Gaethje back at times, and survived shots that would have KO’d others.
  
• Gameplan Possibilities: If Gaethje had gone to the legs earlier, it could've been an easier night for him.

Where Do They Go From Here?

• Gaethje wins interim gold. Next up: probably Topuria, if he’s available, for the real belt.
  
• If not, Max Holloway as a rematch would be fire—a fan favorite fight for sure.

Gaethje finally gets UFC gold, after decades of hard work. The guy deserves all the success after that. Big respect!

Bonus Section: What’s Next For The Winners?

Jean Silva

• Wants a top-5 opponent, and with this win, he’s in the mix. Will be interested to see if he gets pushed into a title eliminator soon.

Natalia Silva

• Moves up in the division, likely gets a top-5 or title-elimination fight if she puts another win together. Her power and athleticism are a major problem.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta

• Just took out a proven vet in Derrick Lewis, so he deserves a step up. Could be looking at a top-10 opponent next.

Sean O’Malley

• All eyes on a big fight—either the Petr Yan rematch or possibly another top contender.

Justin Gaethje

• Waiting on Topuria’s legal situation. If not, that Max Holloway rematch is the fight to make. Whether he fights for the undisputed or defends the interim, there’s nothing but big fights ahead.

"The amount of people—including me—Gaethje has put out with his right hand... He has finished so many people with his punching power and his speed."

If you know, you know. Gaethje’s power is legendary at this point.

The Whole Card Was a Banger

This card from top to bottom delivered. The action was intense, most fights were competitive, and even the weird ending in the Lewis fight gave us something to talk about.

Extra props to the UFC for upping the bonuses. Fighters deserve to get paid, especially when they put on cards like this. Hopefully, everyone got a little extra for showing out.

Wrap-Up and What’s Next

If you’re new to martial arts and inspired to get started, check out my book—“The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Martial Arts School and Instructor.”  It’s got tips for beginners, how to pick schools, and everything you need to avoid wasting time and money.

If you like this breakdown and want more, just leave a comment. I’m always down to break down fights, answer questions, or cover whatever you want to know about MMA.