The UFC recently announced that Paddy Pimblett will take on Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 on Jan. 24 next year in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, reigning champion Ilia Topuria is taking some time off to deal with personal matters outside the octagon.Conor McGregor weighed in with a brief message of support for Pimblett on X, writing:"Come on Paddy!"Check out Conor McGregor's X post below:The event marks the start of the UFC’s massive broadcast deal with Paramount+ with a stacked opening card. Kayla Harrison defends her bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes, who's coming back from retirement. Meanwhile, Sean O'Malley will take on Song Yadong, and Derrick Lewis meets Waldo Cortes Acosta in a heavyweight clash.The matchmaking decision that placed Pimblett ahead of established contenders drew the ire of several fighters and fans. Arman Tsarukyan, who was expecting a title shot following a strong win over Dan Hooker, couldn't wrap his head around the decision.Several lightweights have pointed to Pimblett’s resume and questioned whether his popularity outweighs merit. The interim title fight will decide the next challenger for Topuria later in 2026.Many believe that Pimblett getting a title shot and being ranked No.5 in the division doesn't add up. His most recent octagon appearance was a TKO win over Michael Chandler, who has lost five fights in his last six outings.Paddy Pimblett fires back at Arman Tsarukyan after UFC 324 bookingPaddy Pimblett fired fresh shots at Arman Tsarukyan after securing the interim lightweight title shot against Justin Gaethje.The Liverpool fighter answered weeks of criticism by reminding Tsarukyan that he was left out when the belt became available during Ilia Topuria’s break. He wrote on X:"You like apples? [laughing emojis] @armanufc"Pimblett enters the fight banking on the momentum of a nine-fight win streak, seven in the UFC. He holds a 23-3 record and has collected five Performance of the Night bonuses with wins against Luigi Vendramini, Jordan Leavitt, King Green, Tony Ferguson, and Michael Chandler.Before joining the UFC, he held featherweight titles in Cage Warriors and Full Contact Contender, with successful defenses in both. According to a recent report by DraftKings Network, Pimblett opens up as a -198 favorite, while Gaethje is listed as a +164 underdog.