UFC 324 Predictions: Paddy Pimblett will show why it’s good to be bad

UFC 324 takes over the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada this Saturday, January 24. The main event sees Liverpool’s own Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett take on Justin Gaethje for the UFC Interim Lightweight Championship. TNT Sports Box Office will broadcast the event live.

Read on for my UFC 324 predictions ahead of a glitzy Vegas fight card.

UFC 324 Odds

Pimblett is priced at 4/9 to get the win, while you can get him Price Boosted from 18/5 to 4/1 for the KO victory. Gaethje is marketed at 15/8 to win by any means or Price Boosted from 9/2 to 5/1 to win on points.

We also have Song Yadong to beat Sean O’Malley on points at a Price Boosted 7/2, up from 10/3. ‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas has seen her win market given the same treatment. Her Price Boost is up from 11/4 to 3/1 to win her fight with Natalia Silva.

Pimblett to beat Gaethje by submission @ 6/4

‘The Baddy’ is a hero to some and a villain to others, despite his nickname leaning heavily on the latter. Many fans think his camera-ready personality and from-the-heart speeches portray a fighter who is firmly in touch with the common man. Others think he is a brash, cut-price Conor McGregor with a Beatles haircut. 

Whichever side of the fence you sit on, you cannot argue that this kid can fight. Noted as a submission specialist earlier in his career, Paddy has shown a well-rounded game since climbing into the Octagon.

It is a similar trajectory to Gaethje’s. ‘The Highlight’ was an elite amateur wrestler in his youth, but is most noted in the UFC for his spectacular knockouts. Pimblett is partial to a tear-up and could well get dragged in, but such heroics would not clear the Scouser’s path to victory.

‘The Baddy’ would be better off dancing with what brung him; those superlative submissions. Gaethje remains a capable counter-wrestler, but I do not think he keeps the Brit off him for long enough on Saturday. I fancy Pimblett to tap out the American and lift the UFC Interim Lightweight belt.

O’Malley to beat Yadong by KO @ was 18/5 now 4/1

Sometimes a Price Boost is too good to pass up and I like this market a lot. O’Malley is one of the most potent knockout artists in the UFC, having finished 12 of his 18 victims via this method. 

The colourful and controversial ‘Suga’ is riding the loss of his UFC Bantamweight Championship and subsequent rematch defeat to consummate grappler Merab Dvalishvili. O’Malley will be looking to stay off the floor and get his shots off against Yadong.

The Chinese star is well-versed in Sanda, a kickboxing martial art, and he will surely relish throwing down with his bright-haired foe. But I think this will be his downfall. I’m picking O’Malley to do the necessary by knockout.

Allen to beat Silva @ 21/10

A stereotypical choice perhaps, backing the British underdog to pull off the upset. But Allen once showed all the hallmarks of a special fighter and I think the Suffolk man has signs of life in him yet.

Silva is an enigma. A world-class submission grappler who has just three tap-out wins in his 16 UFC victories. The Brazilian is a master of the mat, but 12 of his Octagon successes have come via knockout. His Ninja Choke of Bryce Mitchell won 2025 UFC Submission of the Year, proving those heavy hands can still bend an opponent into uncomfortable shapes too.

Allen racked up 10 UFC victories, the most in featherweight history, before succumbing to the legendary Max Holloway. 17-0 phenom Movsar Evloev is probably the last person the ‘Almighty’ wanted to see across the cage in his comeback outing. A decision defeat followed, leading to some soul-searching for Allen.

A Manchester win over Giga Chikadze in July 2024 was Allen’s last outing. The lay-off is not ideal, but sometimes a rest is as good as a change. I’m backing Allen to come back stronger, re-focused and more than capable of beating Silva.