The UFC finally returns after a six-week hiatus this Saturday, January 24, with UFC 324, taking place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with the main card starting at its new time of 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
The event is headlined by Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett in an interim lightweight title fight between "The Highlight" and Liverpool’s own in a main event fight that will kick off the UFC-Paramount era.
Additionally, former bantamweight champion "Suga" Sean O'Malley returns to action against China's Song Yadong in the co-main event, as Suga looks to rebound from his title loss and maintain his position among the division's elite.
The UFC 324 main card is stacked with compelling matchups, including heavyweight firepower when Derrick Lewis meets rising contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta, former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas takes on the surging Brazilian Natalia Silva in what looks to be a title eliminator in the women’s flyweight division, and a featherweight showcase pitting Arnold Allen against Jean Silva to open the main card.
We'll take a look at the best UFC 324 predictions for all fights on the main card for Saturday. January 23, including PrizePicks MMA picks — where you can pick More or Less on fighter stats to win real money if you're right. You can also predict UFC winners on PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money, now available in 30 states.
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UFC 324 Main Card Preview: What You Need to Know
Let us set the stage for what is a loaded UFC 324 main card this Saturday for UFC's first event on Paramount+ — get ready to kick off 2026 with a bang!
Justin Gaethje (26-5) battles Paddy Pimblett (23-3) for the interim lightweight title, with "The Highlight" seeking to reclaim championship gold while the Scouser from Liverpool aims to cement his status among the elite. Gaethje's devastating leg kicks and championship experience meet Pimblett's unorthodox striking and grappling versatility in what shapes as a potential Fight of the Year candidate.
Former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley (18-3) returns against Song Yadong (22-8-1) in a clash of elite strikers, with "Suga" looking to rebound from his title loss and Song aiming for his sixth consecutive win. The five-inch reach advantage for O'Malley will be tested by Song’s pressure and technical boxing.
Heavyweight knockout artists collide when Waldo Cortes-Acosta (16-2) meets Derrick Lewis (29-12), with the surging prospect seeking to extend his win streak against the division's most dangerous power puncher.
Women's flyweight contender Natalia Silva (19-5-1) faces former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas (14-7), with the Brazilian looking to secure her title shot while "Thug Rose" attempts to capture double champ status with a title shot after a win this weekend. Silva's striking precision and cardio will challenge Namajunas' veteran savvy and championship pedigree.
Featherweight veterans Arnold Allen (20-3) and Jean Silva (16-3) open the main card in a crucial divisional matchup, with Allen returning from injury an extend his winning streak against the surging Brazilian. Silva's aggressive striking and submission threat will test Allen's technical boxing and takedown defense.
UFC 324 Predictions, Picks for Main Card
Here are our expert UFC 324 predictions and picks. All picks are available via PrizePicks UFC board. You can also pick fight winners on PrizePicks Team Picks in 30+ states.
Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett Prediction for UFC 324 Main Event
Fight Winner Payouts: Gaethje 2.77x ($100 pays $277) | Pimblett 1.38x (via PrizePicks Team Picks)
UFC 324 Pick: Gaethje vs. Pimblett – 2.5 Total Rounds
- Despite his "Highlight" nickname, Justin Gaethje has seen the scorecards or the fifth round in 4 of his last 6 fights, including a grueling 15-minute unanimous decision win over Rafael Fiziev in their March 2025 rematch.
- Paddy "The Baddy" has shown he drags veteran competition into deep waters; his TKO win over Michael Chandler at UFC 314 came at 3:07 of Round 3, clearing the 2.5-round total (12:30) by over 30 seconds.
- Since his UFC debut, Pimblett's average fight time has trended upward as his competition level rose, with 3 of his last 4 fights going longer than 2.5 rounds (Chandler, Ferguson, Gordon).
- Gaethje is no stranger to long wars — his BMF title fight against Max Holloway lasted 24 minutes and 59 seconds, proving his chin can hold up for all five rounds.
- Pimblett's grappling-heavy approach often burns the clock — his decision wins over Jared Gordon and Tony Ferguson saw him control the pace for 30 minutes of combined cage time rather than finding quick finishes.
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Sean O’Malley vs. Yadong Song Prediction for UFC 324 Co-Main Event
Fight Winner Payouts: O'Malley 1.44x ($100 pays $144) | Song 2.63x (via PrizePicks Team Picks)
UFC 324 Pick: Song Yadong – 57.5 Significant Strikes
- Song Yadong lands 4.58 significant strikes per minute across his UFC career with an average fight time of 13:05.
- "Kung Fu Kid" has landed 268 significant strikes (89.3 average) in his last three UFC fights.
- Song has competed in three consecutive main event fights, with two going the full five-round distance against Ricky Simon (landed 105 significant strikes) and Chris Gutierrez, showcasing his ability to maintain high output in extended fights.
- In his only UFC loss to an elite striker (Cory Sandhagen), Song landed 54 significant strikes in a fight stopped in the fourth round due to doctor stoppage — demonstrating his volume even in adversity.
- Against Sean O'Malley's patient counter-striking style, Song's relentless forward pressure — throwing 10.73 significant strikes per minute — hitting 58 total significant strikes aligns with his typical three-round output.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis Prediction for UFC 324
Fight Winner Payouts: Cortes-Acosta 1.28x ($100 pays $128) | Lewis 3.33x (via PrizePicks Team Picks)
UFC 324 Pick: Derrick Lewis – 19.5 Significant Strikes
- Waldo "Salsa Boy" Cortes-Acosta has never been finished by KO/TKO in his professional career, absorbing 3.60 significant strikes per minute without falling.
- "The Black Beast" consistently shatters this 19.5 sig strikes projection when fights extend past the first round — he landed 41 significant strikes against Rodrigo Nascimento (Round 3 finish), 20 against Jailton Almeida, and 27 against Tai Tuivasa.
- Unlike grappling-heavy bouts that stifle his offense, Cortes-Acosta averages a high 5.55 significant strikes landed per minute, forcing a stand-up affair where Lewis has ample opportunities to land his strikes.
- Lewis averages 2.51 significant strikes landed per minute; at his standard pace — he only needs approximately 8 minutes of fight time to exceed 19.5 significant strikes.
Natalia Silva vs. Rose Namajunas Prediction for UFC 324
Fight Winner Payouts: Silva 1.25x ($100 pays $125) | Namajunas 3.57x (via PrizePicks Team Picks)
UFC 324 Pick: Rose Namajunas – 48.5 Significant Strikes
- Namajunas has significantly upped her volume since moving to flyweight, landing 94 against Erin Blanchfield, 96 significant strikes against Tracy Cortez, and 93 against Amanda Ribas in three out of her last four bouts.
- Even in her three-round loss to Manon Fiorot, Rose still landed 60 significant strikes — comfortably landing more than her 48.5 projection.
- Natalia Silva lands a high-volume 5.04 significant strikes per minute, a pace that historically forces Namajunas to return fire rather than reset.
- Silva defends takedowns at an elite 92% rate, which will likely stifle Rose's grappling attempts early and force the fight to remain a kickboxing match where Namajunas’ volume boxing will be vital.
- Rose averages 3.60 significant strikes per minute in her career — she has landed at least 49 significant strikes in 10 of her 18 UFC fights.
Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva Prediction for UFC 324
Fight Winner Payouts: Allen 2.85x ($100 pays $285) | Silva 1.36x (via PrizePicks Team Picks)
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UFC 324 Pick: Jean Silva – 54.5 Significant Strikes
- Arnold Allen has never been finished in his UFC career and boasts an average fight time of 13:37.
- Silva's striking rate of 4.79 significant strikes landed per minute puts him on pace to land 72 strikes in a full three-round decision.
- While Allen is defensive sound (2.25 absorbed per minute), he can be hit by volume strikers — Max Holloway landed 147 significant strikes on him, and even grappler Movsar Evloev landed 51.
- In his fight against Drew Dober, Silva proved his volume doesn't fade in the later rounds — slicing up the durable veteran with relentless combinations for the round three TKO.
- Silva connects at an efficient 51% accuracy rate, meaning he doesn't need to throw wild numbers to hit the over.
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Make UFC 324 Predictions on PrizePicks
UFC 324 headlined by Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett is set to be a thrilling fight card on Saturday, with the interim lightweight title on the line, plus plenty of important fights on the main card.
Gaethje attempts to claim the lightweight title one last time; meanwhile, Pimblett looks to accomplish what he set out to do since stepping foot inside the Octagon a few years ago, wrapping the lightweight belt around his waist.
The main card gets underway at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+, broadcasting live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Before you watch the fights, you can lock in your UFC picks on PrizePicks – it’s the simplest way to win real money if your predictions are right on UFC 324: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett.
Head over to the PrizePicks app and pick More or Less on two or more fighter projections in UFC 324: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett, and lock in your lineup to win real money on the fights if you're right. You can also predict UFC fight winners on PrizePicks Team Picks, now available in 30 states.
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