UFC 324 struggle card predictions: Professional picks for Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett

The primary UFC occasion of the landmark media rights take care of Paramount takes place on Saturday when the Octagon lands in Las Vegas for UFC 324. The cardboard is loaded with former champions, file holders and rising stars, making for a doubtlessly explosive Paramount+ debut.

Within the night time’s fundamental occasion, Paddy Pimblett will meet Justin Gaethje for the interim light-weight championship. Gaethje is a former interim champ and in addition held the symbolic BMF title, whereas that is Pimblett’s first probability as UFC gold.

There’s additionally certain to be loads of buzz when the co-main occasion hits the Octagon as former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley takes on Track Yadong. The pair are each seeking to stay related in a all of a sudden attention-grabbing title image after Petr Yan scored a surprising upset of Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323. O’Malley owns a win over Yan in a non-title struggle and will get himself proper again in competition with a win on Saturday after back-to-back losses to the previous champ Dvalishvili. Yadong is 3-1 in his final 4 fights.

Plus, heavyweights are set to collide when Waldo Cortes-Acosta takes on Derrick Lewis within the featured bout on the cardboard. Cortes-Acosta had top-of-the-line years of any fighter within the sport in 2025, posting a 4-1 file with three of these wins coming by knockout. Lewis, in the meantime, stays a terrifying opponent for any rising contender. “The Black Beast” owns the file for many knockouts in UFC historical past with 16 — three greater than the subsequent closest competitor. He is coming off a TKO of one other rising contender in Tallison Teixeira final July. 

There are lots extra large fights and acquainted names on the cardboard, which takes place from T-Cell Enviornment and streams dwell on Paramount+.

Join Paramount+ and watch UFC 324 dwell on Saturday night time for no further payment — each UFC numbered occasion and UFC Combat Night time is included with the value of your subscription! Plans begin as little as $8.99/month or $89.99/yr!

With a lot occurring on Saturday night time, let’s look nearer on the full struggle card with the newest odds earlier than we get to our employees predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities which you can contemplate earlier than hitting the sportsbooks.

UFC 324 predictions, odds, finest bets: Paddy Pimblett, Sean O’Malley amongst high picks to contemplate on Saturday

Brent Brookhouse

UFC 324 struggle card, odds

Odds by way of DraftKings Sportsbook (as of Jan. 23)

• Paddy Pimblett -230 vs. Justin Gaethje +190, interim light-weight title
• Sean O’Malley -205 vs. Track Yadong +170, bantamweights
• Waldo Cortes-Acosta -340 vs. Derrick Lewis +270, heavyweights
• Natalia Silva -380 vs. Rose Namajunas +300, girls’s flyweights
• Jean Silva -258 vs. Arnold Allen +210, featherweights
• Umar Nurmagomedov -1450 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo +850, bantamweights
• Ateba Gautier -900 vs. Andrey Pulyaev +600, middleweights
• Modestas Bukauskas -142 vs. Nikita Krylov +120, gentle heavyweights
• Charles Johnson -175 vs. Alex Perez +145, flyweights
• Alexander Hernandez -120 vs. Michael Johnson +100, lightweights
• Josh Hokit -225 vs. Denzel Freeman +185, heavyweights
• Ty Miller -455 vs. Adam Fugitt +350, welterweights

UFC 324 predictions, picks

With such a large fundamental occasion on faucet, the crew at CBS Sports activities went forward with predictions and picks for the primary card from Brian Campbell, Brent Brookhouse, Shakiel Mahjouri, Michael Mormile and Brandon Sensible.

Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett predictions

Campbell: Now that Pimblett has developed right into a extra targeted and exact model of himself at age 31 (together with getting himself into world-class bodily form), his pace and size benefits determine to be a problem for the battle-tested Gaethje. It ought to go with out saying that Pimblett might want to present a sturdy chin early and dwell as much as his slogan that “Scousers do not get knocked out.” However for as harmful as Gaethje is, Pimblett holds a definite benefit on the bottom along with his submission sport reverse a robust beginner wrestling background for Gaethje that surprisingly by no means will get utilized in his UFC bouts. Pimblett will take his time and ultimately expose the growing older chin of his 37-year-old opponent in a breakthrough win. Pimblett by way of TKO4

Brookhouse: Gaethje hasn’t been very lively in recent times and is now 37. Add in that he is taken a extra affected person and tactical strategy to combating within the later levels of his profession and I feel you could have the recipe for Pimblett to win this struggle. Pimblett has the size to punish Gaethje on the surface and might tangle Gaethje up and use journeys to take the struggle to the bottom. If the struggle hits the ground, that is way more Pimblett’s world, whether or not he’s attacking with submissions or dominating place to ship strikes. This appears like an awesome struggle for Pimblett to get the largest win of his profession. Pimblett by way of SUB2

Mahjouri: I promised to cease choosing towards Pimblett after he thrashed Michael Chandler. He does not make it simple. Statistically, it is exhausting to see Pimblett’s path to victory.  Pimblett is a dual-finishing risk, however falls brief in key classes. Gaethje is the extra highly effective and skilled striker with surprisingly increased placing protection. Pimblett has the largest benefit on the bottom, however traditionally lacks the offensive wrestling required to take the struggle there. What these total statistics do not conclude are their latest trajectories. Pimblett, 31, makes significant enhancements from struggle to struggle. Chandler and King Inexperienced are certainly over the hill, however Pimblett beat them with such ease which you can’t dismiss his progress. Gaethje, 37, is nearing the top by his personal admission. Pimblett will correctly put together for this harmful process. He’ll know to maintain his chin down — a recurring unhealthy behavior of his — towards a juggernaut like Gaethje. Pimblett by way of SUB4

Mormile: Gaethje by way of TKO

Sensible: Gaethje by way of UD

Sean O’Malley vs. Track Yadong predictions

Campbell: O’Malley badly wants a win following back-to-back title losses to former champion Merab Dvalishvili. However the truth that Petr Yan, who defeated Dvashvili of their December rematch to as soon as once more develop into bantamweight king, holds a 2022 loss to O’Malley by cut up determination signifies that a rematch may very well be subsequent if “Suga” can hold tempo atop the division rankings. For as sturdy and strong as Yadong has develop into at age 28 following eight years as a UFC fighter, his fashion continues to be too primary for O’Malley to not expose over quarter-hour along with his dynamic placing assault. Whereas Yadong is sturdy sufficient to stop O’Malley from delivering a highlight-reel assertion and will show capable of hold the struggle aggressive, anticipate a return to type from the previous champion. O’Malley by way of UD

Brookhouse: We have seen O’Malley wrestle towards males who convey heavy strain and might make him uncomfortable with grappling. Yadong is not that fighter, although. Yadong is an effective striker, however he’s going to wrestle to remain in his placing vary, whereas O’Malley can work from the surface and make the most of his size. Yadong does not actually have the sport to pressure O’Malley out of his consolation zone or rhythm and that ought to let O’Malley cruise to a choice win. O’Malley by way of UD

Mahjouri: O’Malley nonetheless has life in him as an elite bantamweight. He admits taking consecutive fights towards Dvalishvili was a mistake, and took ample day without work to handle nagging accidents. He is a exact, highly effective striker with a strong grappling sport. Track is among the extra well-rounded fighters within the division, however his expertise with elite bantamweights suggests his ceiling is under the title degree. Track’s win over Henry Cejudo was too aggressive, contemplating the long run Corridor of Famer retired one struggle later. His losses to Cory Sandhagen and Yan additional drive dwelling the purpose. Track can definitely play spoiler, however I concern we neglect how totally O’Malley dissected Marlon Vera of their rematch. O’Malley by way of UD

Mormile: O’Malley by way of UD

Sensible: Yadong by way of TKO2

Cortes-Acosta vs. Lewis predictions

Campbell: With 4 wins in 5 appearances alone over the previous 10 months, Cortes-Acosta has quickly develop into a authentic risk to the heavyweight title image. However the grind of regularly being in coaching camp can develop into a grind that sneaks up on fighters over time. And Lewis, who claims he’s getting into this struggle in arguably one of the best form of his profession, is the fallacious fighter to doubtlessly make a mistake towards or have an off night time. Even at 40, the UFC’s file holder for profession knockouts continues to be as harmful as ever. Lewis has gained three of his final 4 fights, all by stoppage, and nonetheless owns the flexibility to climate injury earlier than delivering the dramatic end. The truth that Lewis feels so wholesome after years of nagging accidents and fluctuating weight ought to be taken severely right here. Lewis by way of KO2

Brookhouse: Lewis has an unbelievable capacity to seek out methods to land fight-ending bombs towards virtually anybody, so he can by no means be counted out in any struggle. That mentioned, Cortes-Acosta is the extra well-rounded fighter and has proven the flexibility to shift from placing to a measured, slower-paced strategy to neutralizing harmful large males. Cortes-Acosta could also be keen to threat some exchanges early, however he’ll probably shift to takedowns to attempt to hold Lewis grounded and away from throwing his looping energy pictures. It might not be fairly, however this can be a struggle Cortes-Acosta can grind away with repeated takedowns. Cortes-Acosta by way of determination

Mahjouri: The jury is out on Cortes-Acosta. Is he a authentic elite heavyweight or the kind of hype practice that Lewis feeds on? I imagine it is the previous. Cortes-Acosta has gained seven of his final eight fights and took a spherical off interim title challenger Serghei Pavlovich in his lone loss throughout that stretch. It is Cortes-Acosta’s placing protection that evokes confidence. Do not let his latest string of knockouts idiot you; he is aware of the way to keep secure and win fights over quarter-hour. Cortes-Acosta ought to make use of a accountable fashion, mixing distance and footwork with rigorously timed takedown makes an attempt. If he can keep away from Lewis’ blitzes, an admittedly exhausting ask towards the UFC KO file holder, he ought to win the struggle on the scorecards or with a late knockout. Cortes-Acosta by way of KO3

Mormile: Lewis by way of TKO2

Sensible: Lewis by way of TKO2

Silva vs. Namajunas methodology of victory picks

Campbell: Silva by way of UD

Brookhouse: Silva by way of UD

Mahjouri: Silva by way of UD

Mormile: Namajunas by way of UD

Sensible: Namajunas by way of UD

Allen vs. Silva methodology of victory picks

Campbell: Allen by way of SD

Brookhouse: Silva by way of TKO2

Mahjouri: Silva by way of UD

Mormile: Silva by way of UD

Sensible: Silva by way of TKO3

Who wins Gaethje vs. Pimblett, and the way precisely does the struggle finish? Go to SportsLine now to get detailed picks and evaluation from the incomparable professional who’s up over $21,000 on his UFC picks since Could 19, 2018, and discover out.