After a long hiatus, the world-leader in mixed martial arts has emerged from hibernation and is set to put on a sensational opening event to 2026 with UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett. With interim-lightweight gold on the line in the main event of the evening, you won’t want to miss a second of the upcoming action.
To help take the intensity inside the Octagon to the next level, why not get some skin in the scraps yourself by placing a bet on the main card with our UFC 324 picks & predictions?
Below, we’ve broken down each of the five main card bouts, the best odds for both fighters to win, and our expert prediction of the exact method of victory for each fight. With some extremely juicy picks waiting to be cashed, see for yourself how you can knock out the online sportsbooks this Saturday night and kick off the first UFC event of the year with a win.
- Arnold Allen by DEC (+459)
- Natalia Silva by DEC (-154)
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta by DEC (+309)
- Sean O’Malley by DEC (+115)
- Justin Gaethje by KO/TKO/DQ (+440)
Justin Gaethje to Win by KO/TKO/DQ
Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva
Best odds on Allen to win: +225 (bet365)
Best odds on Silva to win: -275 (BetVictor)
Kicking off the action with what’s sure to be an electric featherweight clash, top title contenders collide as Arnold “Almighty” Allen takes on Jean “Lord” Silva.
In a clash of contrasting styles between Allen’s clean, crisp, and speedy boxing, against the wild, chaotic, and devastating power of Silva, bank on the Englishman Allen to get the job done as a heavy underdog, taking the win by decision.
While there’s no questioning the otherworldly finishing power of Silva at 145 lbs, in order to secure a finish, he’ll need to land, something Allen doesn’t regularly allow. A polished and experienced fighter, Allen has shared the Octagon with some of the division’s best and held his own in the process, having never been finished across 23 professional fights.
Able to utilize superb head movement and counter-striking ability, look for Allen to capitalize on the wild striking style of Silva, avoiding danger and returning fire with clean shots throughout the bout. Sporting a slight size advantage, Allen will also be able to enter the pocket first in exchanges, throwing multi-strike combos to combat the one-shot offence of Silva.
Set to use his terrific fight IQ to guide him to victory, hammer Allen to pull off the upset to open the main card, defeating Silva by decision in their upcoming tilt.
Prediction: Allen to Win by DEC (+459 @ TonyBet)
Natalia Silva vs. Rose Namajunas
Best odds on Silva to win: -385 (TonyBet)
Best odds on Namajunas to win: +310 (Sports Interaction)
In a potential number-one contenders bout for Valentina Schevchenko’s women’s flyweight title, expect a technical slugfest between Natalia Silva vs. “Thug” Rose Namajunas.
Set to continue her dominant UFC run, look for Silva to add on to her long list of legends vanquished as she takes the decision victory over Namajunas. Undefeated in the UFC, Silva has gone on a seven-fight winning streak, defeating notable names such as Jessica Andrade and former flyweight title holder Alexa Grasso in her last two bouts.
A clean striker, Silva uses her terrific athleticism to push the pace on her opponents while avoiding returning shots on the other side. Taking on one of the all-time greats in women’s mixed martial arts, the best days of Namajunas’ career appear to be behind her. Having gone 3-2 since moving up from strawweight, Namajunas hasn’t been able to hang with the division’s elite with losses to Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot.
Look for Silva to continue establishing a new era in the women’s flyweight division, toppling a legend of the sport, and all but assuring her next fight will be with undisputed gold on the line as the judges hand her the victory on Saturday night.
Prediction: Silva to Win by DEC (-154 @ TonyBet)
Waldo Cortés-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis
Best odds on Cortes-Acosta to win: -325 (Sports Interaction)
Best odds on Lewis to win: +260 (BetVictor)
When heavyweights step foot in the Octagon, you never know what to expect. This proves true even moreso when the UFC’s knockout king is involved, as Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis looks to extinguish the hot streak of “Salsa Boy” Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 324.
Riding high as one of the most successful fighters of 2025, look for the good times to keep on rolling for the Dominican fighter as Cortes-Acosta racks up the decision victory over the heavyweight legend, Lewis.
While Cortes-Acosta has won back-to-back fights by knockout, standing and trading with Lewis has proven a fruitless effort for his opponents in the past. Possessing a distinct speed advantage in this scrap, look for WCA to use this in his favour, circling the Octagon, stepping in-and-out of the pocket with agility, and avoiding any big strikes returned his way.
Able to pile up damage while avoiding the one-punch knockout power of Lewis, Cortes-Acosta can wear down his opponent, cruising to a victory on the judges’ scorecards thanks to his sensational footwork and cardio as he cements his place inside the heavyweight title picture.
Prediction: Cortes-Acosta to Win by DEC (+309 @ TonyBet)
Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong
Best odds on O’Malley to win: -200 (bet365)
Best odds on Song to win: +170 (Sports Interaction)
Making his long-awaited return to the Octagon, former-UFC bantamweight champion “Suga” Sean O’Malley is hungry to punch his way back into the title picture, but first, he’ll need to answer the bell against a tough test in Song “Kung Fu Kid” Yadong.
In a terrific bit of matchmaking, this bantamweight bout is sure to be fireworks inside the Octagon. Pitting two of the most skilled strikers in the division against one another, this one may quickly turn into a barnburner. While Song has held his own against the elite of the division in the past, he’s never been able to get over the hump, setting O’Malley up for a big win in the co-main event.
Possessing an imposing 5-foot-11 frame at 135 lbs, O’Malley has built a career on using his sensational length to land devastating straights to inflict damage on his opponents. Possessing a one-of-a-kind swagger inside the cage, look for O’Malley to style on Song as he throws highlight reel strikes throughout the bout, keeping the Chinese fighter on his heels throughout their 15-minute contest.
With a distinct size advantage, bank on O’Malley to keep out of the striking range of Song, picking him apart from range, and easily winning round-by-round as he lands himself back in the win column with a decision victory in the co-main event of UFC 324.
Prediction: O’Malley to Win by DEC (+115 @ bet365)
O’Malley to win by decision
Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett
Best odds on Gaethje to win: +190 (Sports Interaction)
Best odds on Pimblett to win: -225 (bet365)
The headliner of UFC 324, interim-lightweight gold is up-for-grabs between two of the biggest names in the sport as the living legend Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje takes on surging contender, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett in the main event.
While Pimblett has had a dream run to the title picture in the UFC, look for it to quickly turn into a nightmare as Gaethje puts him to sleep with a big-time knockout victory to recapture the interim-lightweight strap.
After splashing onto the scene as one of the top prospects in MMA, Pimblett has delivered in each of his bouts, sporting an undefeated 7-0 record in his brief tenure with the company. While a seven-fight win streak is no joke, there are certainly calls for concern when you look at the names featured on his hit list. With his biggest win coming in a third-round submission over a 39-year-old Michael Chandler, this is a steep rise in competition for the Liverpool native.
On the other side of the fray, Gaethje has continued to build on his Hall of Fame legacy, serving not just as one of the most exciting fighters in the sport, but dangerous to boot. Having piled up wins over Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier in recent appearances, Gaethje is as violent as they come inside the cage.
With Pimblett’s chin having been cracked multiple times in his UFC run, taking on one of the most prolific strikers in lightweight history is a recipe for disaster. For Pimblett to be successful in this contest, he’ll need to implement grappling into the exchanges, something he will struggle mightily with as he faces one of the most sound defensive wrestlers in the division, with Gaethje rocking a 68% takedown defence rate throughout his career.
Look for Gaethje to weather through the aggressive grappling of Pimblett early, dominating the fight on the feet, before putting an end to the myth that “Scousers don’t get knocked out” as Gaethje sends Paddy the Baddy crashing to the canvas with an emphatic KO finish to UFC 324.
Prediction: Gaethje to Win by KO/TKO/DQ (+440 @ TonyBet)