why is paddy fighting for interim title

Paddy Pimblett is fighting for an interim UFC lightweight title because the reigning champion, Ilia Topuria, is temporarily unavailable to defend his belt, so the UFC created an interim championship to keep the division moving and capitalize on Paddy’s current star power.

What’s going on with the title?

• Ilia Topuria is the official lightweight champion but has said he will not fight in early 2026 due to personal issues linked to his divorce, so he is on a short competitive break.

• Because the real champ is inactive for a while, the UFC booked Justin Gaethje vs Paddy Pimblett for an interim lightweight title at UFC 324 in Las Vegas.

• An interim belt is basically a “temporary champion” slot: it keeps the division active and sets up a unification fight with the real champion once he returns.

Why Paddy specifically?

• Paddy is one of the UFC’s most marketable and talked‑about fighters right now, and there’s a strong sense online that the promotion wants him in a title picture while his popularity is peaking.

• Some fans and contenders (like Arman Tsarukyan) argue that Paddy’s title shot is “completely undeserved” and more about hype and business than rankings or merit.

• Forum discussions point out that the UFC has often matched Paddy with opponents that help build his profile, with the long‑term idea of pairing him in big-money fights, including eventually against Ilia Topuria when Ilia returns.

What does the interim title mean for the future?

• The interim champion is expected to fight Ilia Topuria in a unification bout once he’s ready to compete again, turning that future matchup into a bigger, “champ vs champ” event.

• Commenters note that an interim belt is “nothing but a glorified number one contender spot,” but it guarantees a title shot if the holder stays healthy and available when the real champ comes back.

• After their fight, Justin Gaethje, now interim champion, is lined up as the man to face Topuria when he returns, while Ilia has already teased Pimblett that by not getting a direct unification fight he may have missed the biggest payday of his career.

How forums are talking about it

“It’s essentially just an elevated contender position that ensures you get to face the champion once they return.”

“The UFC is keen on having Paddy hold a championship title… Their strategy appears to be to capitalize on a significant bout with Ilia before moving on from him.”

In short, Paddy is fighting for an interim title because the real champ is temporarily out, the UFC wants to keep the division active, and Paddy’s name, hype, and drawing power make him a convenient – if controversial – choice for that spot.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.