Ilia Topuria has stepped away for a while, saying he won’t be back until early 2026. Reportedly, he and his partner, Giorgina, got split, and he’s dealing with that. With the champ out, the UFC moved on and booked Paddy Pimblett vs. Justin Gaethje for the interim belt on January 24 at UFC 325. A lot of fans don’t think it’s some huge matchup, but Pimblett keeps treating it like it’s the real championship fight.

At the UFC 2026 press conference, Pimblett backed the interim belt and said it’s a real one going into UFC 324. Fans keep calling it a fake belt, but until Topuria comes back, this is the title on the line. That’s why Pimblett is treating it like the real thing. He said, “You can call it a fake belt all you want, but until Ilia comes back into the octagon, this is the belt.”

The i

See Full Page