Tony Ferguson fought both Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, picks surprising winner for UFC 324

If you’re looking for an expert to break down the UFC 324 headliner between top 155-pound contenders Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, you can’t do much better than former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson. That’s because “El Cucuy” shared the cage with both fighters, getting stopped by “The Highlight” at UFC 249 before eventually falling to “The Baddy” at UFC 296.

So who prevails at UFC 324?

“Paddy wins, only because Justin doesn’t want another interim belt,” Ferguson told Ariel Helwani. “Paddy’s not bad, dude. Paddy’s not bad. He’s very beatable. And Gaethje is very beatable as well. But when it goes into the passion and how upsetting Justin Gaethje has always been about not getting that real title shot, and they just keep dangling it right there again. I mean, Paddy’s in for a new treat, right? Paddy’s the one that’s never fought for a belt.”

Gaethje threatened to retire without an immediate UFC title shot.

“So if I was going to the book and I was going to try to place the bet; I mean, I would go with the new kid that’s going in there and that’s going in there for the new opportunity, rather than the old kid that fought for the belt, disrespected it, threw it on the ground,” Ferguson added. “In my mentality, that’s how he’s going to be again. That’s going to go for Paddy, in my opinion. So best of luck for both of them and knock each other out.”

The UFC 324 fight card (see it here) takes place on Paramount+ on Sat., Jan. 24, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Ferguson finished up his UFC contract in summer 2024 after losing eight straight. “El Cucuy” managed to secure a new lease on his combat sports life by hooking up with Misfits Boxing, where Ferguson battles Warren Spencer for the middleweight title later this month in Dubai.