Dave Simon, AJ D’Alesio, and Fred Garcia reunited to deliver their complete UFC 324 Preview, the first numbered event of 2026 and the inaugural pay-per-view under the new Paramount+ era in the United States. What emerged was a unanimous verdict on the main event and serious concerns about one of the UFC’s biggest stars.
The interim lightweight championship between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett headlines a stacked card that also features Sean O’Malley’s return, Derrick Lewis searching for another highlight-reel knockout, and a pivotal women’s flyweight clash between Natalia Silva and Rose Namajunas. Before diving into predictions, the crew took a nostalgic trip back to where it all began.
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From UFC 1 to UFC 324: The Evolution of Combat Sports
The show opened with AJ D’Alesio sharing a piece of MMA history that put the current event in perspective. I saw UFC 1 live,” AJ recalled, referring to the 1993 pay-per-view that changed martial arts forever. “I was on Saint Laurent Street watching with a bar packed with martial artists, everybody claiming kung fu was going to win.”
The reaction to Royce Gracie walking in with his gi? Pure dismissal. Everybody was like, ‘This karate guy is going to get smashed.’ Nobody knew what jiu-jitsu was. And then this guy starts winning one after another, and everybody was like, ‘What does this guy do?'”
Dave’s first exposure came slightly later—UFC 9 on VHS, the Ken Shamrock versus Dan Severn superfight from 1996. Both of them were in the WWF when I saw it,” Dave admitted, highlighting the cross-pollination between combat sports that continues today.
Fred Garcia brought the younger perspective, noting that anyone under 35 probably has no memory of those early events. But the historical context matters: from that $50,000 tournament prize in 1993 to the multi-million dollar industry of 2026, from single-discipline fighters to the complete athletes we see today.
“Going back to today in 2026, everybody is just as good in jiu-jitsu at the highest level as they are in Muay Thai, boxing, and wrestling—all under one guy,” AJ explained. You need Muay Thai, you need boxing, you need wrestling, and you have to have jiu-jitsu. Without those four, it’s going to be hard.”
The Interim Title Nobody Asked For: Gaethje vs Pimblett
The main event presents an interesting situation that Dave wasted no time addressing. “This will determine who’s number four because it’s the number four and five guy fighting for a belt,” he noted with his characteristic directness.
The UFC lightweight rankings tell the story: Ilia Topuria holds the championship, with Arman Tsarukyan at number one, Charles Oliveira at two, Max Holloway at three, Justin Gaethje at four, and Paddy Pimblett at five. Yet these two are fighting for interim gold.
“Say what you will about the main event, as I will,” Dave continued. “It’s still a cool fight. Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett—they’re UFC stars. It’s the number four and five guys in the UFC lightweight division, which is historically the toughest division in MMA.”
Trevor Whitman’s pre-fight comments added significant weight to the stakes. “This is the last ride. It’s win or go home,” Dave reported. “He doesn’t want to be a gatekeeper. He doesn’t want to have just entertaining fights. He’s a championship fighter. He wants to fight for the belt. And he understands that this is his last opportunity at a UFC world championship.”
Why All Three Hosts Are Picking Pimblett
Despite Justin Gaethje’s legendary status, the Ringside Report crew reached a unanimous conclusion: Paddy Pimblett wins this fight. The reasoning varied, but the verdict did not.
Dave’s Take (TKO/KO):”I think Paddy the Baddy, a little too young, a little too durable. Gaethje has been through many wars. How many concussions has this guy suffered in his career? When you’re already thinking about retirement, it’s near the end.”
The age factor looms large. At 37, Gaethje is facing a 31-year-old Pimblett who’s entering his prime. “If this fight happened two years ago, it’s a Gaethje win,” Dave admitted. “But a 31-year-old Paddy against a 37-year-old Gaethje three years down the road—I just think this is going to be Paddy’s fight.”
Dave’s prediction: “I got Paddy with a knockout. I think a TKO, maybe in the second, third, or fourth round if Gaethje lasts. I think Paddy finishes Gaethje like he finished Chandler.”
Fred’s Take (Decision): “I pretty much agree with you that Paddy’s going to win this. Where I’m not with you is I don’t think that’s going to be Justin Gaethje’s last fight. I expect them to continue fighting even if he loses.”
Fred sees the path to victory through grappling. “A little younger, better grappler. He might struggle to stand up if the fight stays standing against Justin Gaethje. But I think Paddy’s going to manage to get the fight where he wants. Gaethje’s a tough guy—if it’s not by decision, maybe a submission. But I’m going to go with Paddy by decision.”
AJ’s Take (Submission): AJ brought the longest historical perspective to his analysis. “When he went for that gold, he got submitted by Khabib. He got submitted by Charles Oliveira. Now you’ve got a 37-year-old Gaethje who was giving talks about his career coming to an end.”
AJ pointed to Pimblett’s hunger and destiny. “There are stories about Paddy Pimblett going into an MMA gym at 15 years old and saying, ‘I’m going to be champion one day.’ They kicked him out. They said, ‘Get the hell out of here.’ He was 15 years old. And here we are at 31, and he could be the possible champion. That’s somebody who’s hungry.”
His prediction targets Gaethje’s historical vulnerability: “I think when he goes for the goal, the panic sets in when there’s a lot of pressure on him. Paddy Pimblett’s submission skills are on top. I think it’s going to be a submission on Saturday.”
The betting odds support the consensus: Pimblett is a -240 favourite, with Gaethje at +180. “Those honestly seem like pretty decent odds for Paddy, considering how confident I am in him winning,” Dave noted. “I feel like he’s a lock.”
Reality Check: Is Justin Gaethje Done?
The Reality: Gaethje looked good against Rafael Fiziev in his last fight, but that came after Max Holloway’s legendary knockout at UFC 300. The wear and tear of a violence-first career catches up to every fighter eventually. At 37, with his coach already mentioning retirement, the writing appears to be on the wall.
Dave posed the ultimate question: “Do you see a world where Gaethje wins this fight? Because I don’t.”
Fred offered the only path: “If it’s a stand-up fight, I could see maybe Gaethje still being able to edge a decision or even maybe knocking out Paddy. Gaethje’s a dangerous striker. Let’s not act as if he’s not a dangerous striker. But no, Paddy the younger guy should win this.”
AJ acknowledged the danger while maintaining his pick: “This is Paddy’s hardest opponent that he’s ever met. If Gaethje could get on the inside, he could get a possible knockout. But Paddy has these long arms, and he knows how to use them well. He’s got these weird angles.”
Sean O’Malley’s Concerning Comeback
The co-main event features Sean O’Malley against Song Yadong, but Dave raised serious concerns about the former champion’s mental state heading into fight week.
“Looking at the embedded series, they show Sean O’Malley’s house, all his cars,” Fred observed. “He might need a couple of championships spent, but he seems to be spending a lot of money. Hopefully, he gets back in the title picture and makes some more big bucks.”
Dave pressed further: “Does he seem off in the embedded series?” Fred’s response: “He’s always seemed off.” But Dave sensed something deeper: “More. I feel like those Merab losses have shaken him.
The evidence is in O’Malley’s own words. “He’s talking about retirement. He’s young, and he’s talking about retirement. He’s talking about, ‘Yeah, I guess this motivates me. I don’t know. Try to find motivation here.’ He seems like maybe he’s achieved the goal of being UFC champion and has realized he is likely to never achieve that goal again.”
Dave’s psychological analysis cut deep: “When you’re a champion, you’re undefeated, winning all these fights, you become champion—you feel invincible. And then this guy Merab comes around and beats you. And then you’re like, ‘Oh well, that was a fluke.’ And then he beats you again, and you’re like, ‘Oh, then maybe I’m not who I thought I was.'”
The division landscape doesn’t offer much hope either. “I look at the division, and I go, ‘Well, he’s never beating Merab.’ And he’s probably never going to beat Petr Yan either. Even though he got that win over him, no one thought he actually won.”
Reality Check: Is Sugar O’Malley “Shook”?
The Reality: Dave heard O’Malley say he thought he was going to be “the Conor McGregor of this sport.” Now there’s uncertainty, talks of retirement at a young age, and a mental state that has the Ringside crew worried. Fred counters that a couple of wins fixes everything—and this Song Yadong fight is winnable.
Fred provided the optimistic counter: “If he could win against Song Yadong—and I’m going to pick O’Malley because Song Yadong’s last win was against Henry Cejudo, who’s pretty much retired—he has to start winning again. And it starts this weekend. I’m going to go O’Malley by TKO.”
AJ agreed with Fred’s assessment: “If he gets a couple of those wins, he’s back in the game. We saw that with Chucky Cheese—almost losing his career, and here he comes back and ends up being a champion.”
But Dave remains unconvinced: “I think Song Yadong is a beatable guy for Sean O’Malley, and I think O’Malley should win this fight. But I’m not betting on him. I’m not putting him on my parlay. I don’t like what I’m hearing from Sean O’Malley.”
Derrick Lewis: The Ageless Knockout Artist
At 40 years old, the Black Beast continues defying Father Time. Derrick Lewis faces Waldo Cortes-Acosta, a 34-year-old Dominican knockout artist with an impressive 16-2 record and nine wins in 11 heavyweight fights.
“Derek Lewis by knockout is plus 375,” Dave noted. “More knockout wins than any fighter in UFC history. Because it’s Derek Lewis and that’s what he does.”
The crew split on this one. Dave and Fred are riding with the Black Beast at attractive underdog odds (+255 straight, +375 by KO), while AJ is backing the younger, bigger Cortes-Acosta.
“I love Derek Lewis,” AJ admitted. “The best Instagram posts out there. But he’s 40 years old. Waldo is taller, longer reach, 9 out of 11 wins in heavyweight. This guy is a legit contender.”
Dave countered with heavyweight reality: “He’s 40 years old, Dave. Don’t forget that.” To which Dave replied: “It’s heavyweight, man. It doesn’t matter.”
Fred liked the value play: “Plus 255, I would take a little chance on Derek Lewis. Plus 375 by knockout—that’s pretty much the only way Derek Lewis wins. With Derek Lewis, he could knock out anybody.”
Natalia Silva vs Rose Namajunas: The Rose is Wilting?
Former champion Rose Namajunas faces the surging Natalia Silva in a fight with significant flyweight implications. Silva comes in as a heavy -370 favourite, with Rose at +270.
“Silva’s pretty good. She’s a beast,” Dave assessed. 28 years old from Brazil, undefeated in the UFC, 19-5 record, just beat Alexa Grasso, former champion, in her last fight.
Rose’s career timeline raised eyebrows. “She’s only 33, which is nuts, because she’s been in the UFC since 2014,” Dave noted. That’s nearly a decade of competition at the highest level.
AJ delivered his assessment bluntly: “The Rose is wilted, man. Her decline is obvious. She just doesn’t have it. She’s 15 and 7, 3 and 2 in her last five fights. Nothing exciting. I think Natalia Silva is just too much power behind her.”
All three hosts picked Silva to continue her rise through the division.
Jean Silva vs Arnold Allen: The Autism Conversation
The featherweight battle between Jean Silva and Arnold Allen comes with an unusual pre-fight discussion. Silva has publicly disclosed his autism diagnosis and suggested Allen might share the condition.
“Jean Silva says he has been diagnosed autistic, and he believes that Arnold Allen is also autistic,” Dave reported. “I don’t know what his basis is, but Silva is claiming this will be the first UFC fight between two autistic guys.”
Dave’s response was characteristically dry: “I doubt it’s the first time. We’ve been in jiu-jitsu for a while. We know the deal.”
Fred wanted to focus on the fight itself: “It’s one of my favourite fights on the card. Jean Silva is close to a title shot. Arnold Allen, if he beats Silva, will be right there. This is a big fight.”
The betting has Silva as a -270 favourite, with Allen at +200. All three hosts picked Silva, though Dave acknowledged the value on Allen: “I think Arnold Allen is a very good MMA fighter. He could easily win this fight. Plus 200—he could win. It’s a three-round fight.”
AJ kept this one off his parlay entirely: “Too close to call. Arnold Allen’s a beast at 20-3. Jean Silva, the nerd, is 16 and 3. One wrong move and the opponent wins. I wouldn’t put it on my parlay.”
The $100 Pay-Per-View Problem
While Americans enjoy UFC content through their $9/month Paramount+ subscriptions, Canadian fans face a different reality.
“It is so expensive to get these UFC pay-per-views now,” Dave complained. “It’s like $100, man. The price is crazy. And in the States, it’s like $9 a month to get everything. It’s not right.”
AJ shared the fan sentiment: “I’ve been listening to a lot of comments, and people are getting mad at UFC Canada, saying, ‘Listen, guys, we’re just going to pirate this stuff.’ And they’re right, man. It’s hard to control.”
The expansion of Paramount’s UFC deal to Australia and Latin America offers hope, but for now, Canadian fans are left with limited options.
Dave’s solution? “Don’t buy it. Let’s steal it. Steal it if you can. Survive if they let you. I won’t even be watching it—I’m going to WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event.
The Parlays: Three Different Approaches
Each host delivered their betting parlay for the card, offering different risk profiles and fight selections.
AJ’s Parlay (Plus 539, $20 → $127.78):
- Paddy Pimblett by submission (+165)
- Sean O’Malley over Song Yadong
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta over Derrick Lewis
- Natalia Silva over Rose Namajunas
Fred’s Parlay (Three-Fight Simple, $20 → $57):
- Paddy Pimblett
- Sean O’Malley
- Jean Silva
Dave’s Parlay (Conservative Four-Fight, $20 → $42):
- Paddy Pimblett
- Natalia Silva
- Umar Nurmagomedov (-1600)
- Ateba Abega Gautier (-850)
Dave’s reasoning for avoiding O’Malley: “I’m not going with Sean O’Malley. I’m staying away from this guy. I don’t trust him. I think the sugar might be shook. Shook sugar becomes caramelized.”
Rising Stars: Ateba Abega Gautier
Dave highlighted a prelim fighter worth watching: Ateba Abega Gautier from Cameroon.
“He’s a beast. Training with Francis Ngannou. 23 years old, 6 foot 4. Monster of a middleweight. That’s crazy—a 6’4 middleweight. 23 years old, knocking everybody out. This guy is going to be a problem.”
Dave’s long-term prediction was bold: “This guy might be what brings Khamzat down. I’m not saying now, but in two to three years. He has a lot of the makings of a real problem in the division.”
Card Timing: Earlier Start for UFC 324
Fred noted an important scheduling change: “The main card starts at 9 PM. It’s the first pay-per-view that starts at 9 PM.”
That means prelims around 7 PM ET, with early prelims potentially starting as early as 4:30-5:00 PM ET, depending on how the fights play out.
Looking Ahead: UFC 325 in Australia
The crew previewed next week’s UFC 325 card from Australia, which features:
- Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes
- Dan Hooker vs Benoît Saint-Denis
- Rafael Fiziev vs Mauricio Ruffy
- Tai Tuivasa vs Carlos Teixeira
The hosts were impressed by recent photos of Tai Tuivasa’s physical transformation. “He looks different,” Dave observed. “Yeah, big time. He looks great,” AJ agreed. “He’s got like a four pack. Good for him—he’s going for the last hurrah at 32 years old.”
Final Predictions Summary
Main Event – Interim Lightweight Title:
- Dave: Paddy Pimblett by TKO (Round 2-4)
- Fred: Paddy Pimblett by Decision
- AJ: Paddy Pimblett by Submission
Co-Main – Bantamweight:
- Dave: No pick (staying away from “shook sugar”)
- Fred: Sean O’Malley by TKO
- AJ: Sean O’Malley by Decision
Heavyweight:
- Dave: Derrick Lewis by KO (+375)
- Fred: Derrick Lewis (small bet, value play)
- AJ: Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Women’s Flyweight:
- All three: Natalia Silva
Featherweight:
- Dave: Jean Silva
- Fred: Jean Silva
- AJ: Jean Silva (but staying off parlay—”too close”)
