Nobody Believes in Paddy Pimblett (Yet)

Paddy Pimblett has the most to win at UFC 324. He's facing off with Justin Gaethje and life can either be great or miserable for Paddy Pimblett.

Chapters:
0:00 Paddy Pimblett doesn't deserve the title shot
1:25 Paddy Pimblet vs Justin Gaethje initial thoughts
4:33 Has Paddy Pimblett been tested?
12:05 Justin Gaethje aging out of competition
19:56 Pick em: Paddy Pimbett or Justin Gaethje

Let's all be real. Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria should be fighting this weekend. They're clearly the best two lightweights in the world. Justin Gaethje has a case to be made. But Paddy Pimblett doesn't deserve the title shot he's been granted. But he will look to seize the opportunity this weekend as he tries to claim the interim lightweight title.

The fight with Justin Gaethje is very nuanced. On paper, Justin Gaethje should maul Paddy Pimblett. The UK does everything wrong for Gaethje to exploit. But Justin Gaethje hasn't looked great lately. He's 37, on the tail end of his career. This fight is compelling not because it's the two lightweights in the world. In fact it is compelling in spite of that. UFC 324's main event is compelling because of the nuances like Paddy Pimblett's size, Justin Gaethje's age, and the arrival to Paramount for the UFC.

Perhaps the biggest question is that of Paddy Pimblett's resume. He's beat great names on paper: Bobby Green, Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler. But the caveat is that they're all old, out of their own primes. Justin Gaethje is kind of that, too, but not seen the same. Paddy Pimblett is still seen to be taking his biggest test at UFC 324.

So make your pick. Who wins at UFC 324? Does Paddy Pimblett continue his unlikely rise or will Justin Gaethje get one more crack at undisputed UFC gold?