Justin Gaethje silenced his critics at UFC 324 by defeating Paddy Pimblett. From the start, the main event fight quickly turned into a brutal five-round war, with Gaethje winning the key exchanges and dragging Pimblett onto the mat. While ‘The Highlight’ took some shots from his opponent, he delivered a clear message with his performance and walked away as a two-time interim lightweight champion. Given that he is a 37-year-old and took heavy damage from the fight, he is expected to take some time off before returning to the Octagon.

With the launch of the UFC-Paramount broadcasting deal, Justin Gaethje made the spotlight count. He earned a hard-fought decision victory and immediately forced his way back into the title picture. Now, he drives straight toward a showdown with undisputed lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. While Topuria handles personal legal matters, Gaethje has already locked in his return timeline and chosen his preferred venue.

Justin Gaethje sets his sights on the UFC White House card

“I rocked my brain a couple times, and the only thing we have over the more dangerous sports, which are boxing and football, is we get to take time. And so I will do that. But the White House is in June, and, you know, I represent this country. I represented it tonight, and I hope to be. Obviously, look at the position and opportunity they just gave me here. There’s no way they’re keeping me off that card, unless I’m dead,” said Justin Gaethje at the UFC 324 post-fight press conference.

The UFC will hold the White House event this summer on June 14. Dana White confirmed this week, right after UFC 324 wrapped up on Saturday, that they will start matchmaking for the White House card next week and “dial it in” by the second week of February. Furthermore, the UFC CEO expects this to become the “biggest event” the promotion has ever staged.

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With no American champion currently, the UFC will probably feature newly crowned interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje on the card. However, the promotion has not shared any new updates on champion Ilia Topuria, who is still on break. Topuria previously set his return window as “April–June.”

The June timeline seems perfect for a potential Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria title unification bout. As a result, fans will watch closely to see if Topuria can hit that window. Interestingly, last year, he suggested the promotion had different plans for ‘The Highlight’  if he won at UFC 324.

While Topuria wanted to face Paddy Pimblett next, Gaethje’s experience prevented Pimblett from winning his first title in UFC. Thus, the outcome has disrupted Topuria’s plans, leaving him visibly frustrated.

Ilia Topuria slams Paddy Pimblett in post-UFC 324 comments

Last year, after Ilia Topuria defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, Paddy Pimblett entered the Octagon to face Topuria, who had already hinted that the two rivals would clash next. Their rivalry stretches back years and stems in part from Pimblett’s remarks on the Georgia-Russia war, which Topuria refused to let slide. As a result, every time they meet, they deliver intense encounters, most notably during their 2022 altercation in London.

The UFC aimed to capitalize on that rivalry, but Topuria did not expect 37-year-old Justin Gaethje to defeat 31-year-old Pimblett. Nevertheless, the UFC 324 main event showed that anything can happen once the cage locks, as ‘The Highlight’s aggressive brawling style left Topuria unable to control his emotions after the fight.

“Little sausage, the only thing you had to do was beat a 38-year-old guy. You just lost the biggest paycheck of your life. You were going to get rich if you won. Justin, all I can say is congratulations… and I’d like to tell you to get ready, but you’re screwed no matter what,” Ilia Topuria wrote on X.

With Justin Gaethje now in Ilia Topuria’s way, how do you see their showdown this summer? Could Gaethje steal the spotlight from Topuria’s hype? Share your thoughts below.