Justin Gaethje 'pumped to beat Paddy Pimblett up'

Former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has the opportunity to secure another UFC lightweight title shot when he takes on Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 on Jan. 24. 

The two headline the UFC 324 fight card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with the interim 155-pound championship on the line. The winner will secure a title unification bout against champion Ilia Topuria later this year. Plus, fighting in January opens up competing in June, perhaps at the UFC White House event.  

"This is a huge fight. A huge fight for me. A huge fight for my career. Um, the chance to fight in June is huge. It's what I've been trying to speak into existence for many months now," Gaethje told New York Post Sports.

"I thought I'd be fighting Ilia in January, but it turns out he's going through some personal issues. The goals don't change. I still get to be the interim championship, which on paper is the same as a championship when it comes to getting paid. And we fight for money. This is my job.

"I'm excited. I'm excited about this opportunity. I'm excited to go out there and, you know, teach this young kid some lessons," Gaethje continued. "And I love how confident he is. I love fickle the fans are and how quickly they forget how good I am and how dangerous I am. So man, I'm pumped. I'm pumped to represent my country and beat this kid up."

Surprisingly, Gaethje will enter the fight as the betting underdog despite his wealth of experience against the top fighters in the world. Regardless of the odds, Gaethje considers Pimblett a difficult riddle to solve.

"This sport is so crazy, man. You never know, especially with how awkward and weird he is, you know, with his fighting style. I mean, those things are tough puzzles to figure out. And it's going to be a puzzle for me to figure out," he said.

"The first half of the first round to try to figure out what the f*ck he's doing and how he's moving. But I've got to rely on my technique and my skill level. I've been in these positions so many times, and it's 25 minutes in time. I've got to go out there and be perfect.

"I've convinced myself he's going to hurt me, so my body will go to a very primal place and ultimately I'll feel no pain. So, unless he turns my lights out, I'm going to be in his face."

While there's no personal animosity between Gaethje and Pimblett, fighting is always personal. An opponent is trying to hurt you in order or secure an opportunity for himself, advance his career, boost his earning potential, and provide for his family. 

"Personally, I have nothing against him. Outside of the fact, the same reason he's pissed off. He's trying to take everything from me. You know? We got here by being competitive. There's no way I'm going to let, go out there, and I don't want this kid to take away everything that I've earned and worked for," Gaethje said. 

"I've been here for a long time. I've been working my whole life. I've committed my whole life to this. Right now the animosity is, you know, you're not taking what's mine."