Dustin Poirier makes bold prediction for UFC 324 headliner between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett: “He’ll put himself in danger”

Gaethje looks to enter the door twilight of his careerand UFC 324 could be his last chance to fight for a title. Pimblett, meanwhile, remains undefeated in the UFC and is widely expected to bring a more polished game plan to the match.

That perspective is reflected in the betting markets, where oddsmakers have priced “The Highlight” at around +450 to secure a knockout or TKO victory on most sportsbooks. The odds make sense, as “The Baddy” has never suffered a knockout loss in his professional career.

Despite facing Gaethje twice and suffering a knockout loss in one of those fights, Poirier still believes his former rival has the tools to secure a finish at UFC 324 even at this stage of his career.

Dustin Poirier thinks Justin Gaethje will finish Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324

During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani ShowDustin Poirier shared his thoughts on the interim lightweight showdown between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett on UFC324.

“The Diamond” believes Gaethje can get the job done in five rounds, citing the former BMF titleholder’s extensive experience in chaotic, stand-and-trade fights as a major factor that could spell serious trouble for Pimblett in the matchup.

“I think Justin is holding him back,” Poirier said. ‘I’m just thinking [Gaethje] in those 25 minutes of fighting. He has taken part in those dogfights before. I think Paddy will have a hard time keeping him up, and I don’t think Paddy will get him down, so he’ll have to fight him. Unless Paddy can keep it disciplined for 25 minutes, keep his distance and pick his shots, Justin is just a bigger puncher and will put himself in danger by landing one of those shots. It’s difficult to stay away for 25 minutes.”

Gaethje enters UFC 324 coming off a unanimous decision win over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 in March 2025. “The Highlight” has posted a 3-2 record over his last five outings and is currently 9-5 in his UFC career, which includes six wins by knockout.

Meanwhile, “The Baddy” last competed at UFC 314 in April 2025, where he scored a third-round knockout victory over former title challenger Michael Chandler. Pimblett currently has an undefeated 7-0 record in the UFC.