The primary UFC quantity occasion of 2026 featured a packed battle card at T-Cellular Enviornment, together with an interim light-weight title battle that had the group on the sting of their seats.
UFC 323 Energy Rankings
RDX Sports activities Editor-in-Chief and veteran MMA author Simon Head takes a have a look at the winners of the primary card and presents his energy rankings for UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett.
justin’s slave
Lengthy story quick, at UFC 324, Justin Gaethje did his Justin Gaethje factor. He went into the trenches, barely made it again, and defeated the nice recreation and sturdiness of Paddy Pimblett to win the vacant interim light-weight title for the second time in his profession.
Gaethje got here into the battle as a betting underdog, however the typical knowledge was that with loads of mileage and a good quantity of battle underneath his belt at 37 years outdated, the quickly rising Pimblett, who had carried out very properly in his final battle in opposition to Michael Chandler, won’t have had sufficient mileage.
However one battle night time, Gaethje reminded the combined martial arts world that though he mentioned he was coming into the ultimate levels of his profession, he was removed from completed as an elite-level fighter.
Briefly, it is precisely the form of efficiency we have come to anticipate from “The Spotlight” over time, and it is the one which units him up for his subsequent large battle. Whether or not it is a matchup with undisputed champion Ilya Topria (at the moment on a voluntary hiatus to cope with private points away from competitors) or a BMF title rematch with Max Holloway, who gained in dramatic vogue within the final second of an exciting bout at UFC 300, there’s not less than yet one more large battle in Gaethje’s future.
And whoever he finally ends up combating, you are going to wish to see it.
Sean O’Malley
It felt like there was a giant query mark hanging over Sean O’Malley as a 135-pound title contender heading into his battle with Chinese language contender Track Yadong.
Certainly, he had reached the head of the bantamweight division and regarded fairly good there. Nevertheless, the way of his loss to Merab Dvalishvili, and his subsequent loss to ‘The Machine’ in a title rematch, had some questioning if O’Malley might rise to the highest once more.
Dealing with Son felt like an actual take a look at of his {qualifications}, and he handed it with flying colours.
Track put as a lot stress on him as he might deal with and O’Malley dealt with it properly. And though he misplaced to his opponent within the second spherical, the way in which he upped his output and stress within the essential last spherical confirmed that his championship class was nonetheless utterly intact.
Slightly older, a little bit wiser, and with vital life expertise as a champion and challenger, O’Malley remains to be fine-tuning his recreation. If a rematch with reigning champion and former O’Malley sufferer Petr Yan turns into a critical chance, a second title reign might not be out of the query for “The Suga Present.”
Natalia Silva
Natalya Silva wasn’t scheduled to compete at UFC 324, so quite a lot of eyebrows have been raised when she agreed to signal on the dotted line to face the very well-rounded and championship-tested Rose Namajunas on simply three weeks’ discover. In any case, this was a battle she did not have to take.
Nevertheless, regardless of placing his rating and potential title battle in opposition to Valentina Shevchenko in danger, Silva used the battle to additional qualify for the championship, narrowly profitable a unanimous choice over “Thug Rose” and including the identify of one other former champion to his resume within the course of.
Silva was being pushed by Namajunas all through, however that solely gave him a chance to indicate his capacity to ramp up the stress when wanted. And within the last spherical that finally determined the battle, Silva discovered the additional gear he wanted to safe victory.
At present tied for first place within the rankings at 125 kilos with former title challenger Manon Fioroto, Silva seems to be within the very best place to problem for Shevchenko’s belt later this 12 months. Dealing with ‘Bullet’ throughout UFC Worldwide Combat Week would imply loads, and it might be a brand new problem for Shevchenko, who has dominated every thing in the summertime.
jean silva
Gian Silva was alleged to battle for the featherweight title this weekend, however a spinning again elbow from Diego Lopez modified every thing and ‘The Lord’ discovered himself lacking out on the most important battle of his profession.
As an alternative, he was given the duty of defeating England’s robust rival Arnold Allen. Arnold Allen’s solely losses so far within the UFC have been to Max Holloway after which by choice to Movsar Evloev.
This meant that Silva confronted a tough take a look at to place his identify on the entrance strains of the featherweight title race, however he put up an incredible battle at UFC 324, outscoring Allen over a three-round interval and incomes a well-deserved unanimous choice victory.
After an in depth battle, Silva picked up the tempo within the second and third rounds and gained a battle that regarded unfavorable for a lot of the opening spherical. However a robust end to the spherical set him up for the second spherical, and a assured Silva fought with the aggression and ability we have come to anticipate from him, incomes a decisive victory.
It stays to be seen whether or not he’ll get the decision to problem for the featherweight title subsequent, because the likes of Evloev and Lerone Murphy are additionally very worthy candidates on the prime of the division. It would not be shocking if she matched with both man. I imply, who would not wish to see Silva tackle Murphy over 5 rounds on the O2 Enviornment in March?
Waldo Cortez Acosta
By way of pure spectacle and pleasure of the battle, Waldo Cortez-Acosta’s victory over Derrick Lewis did not convey as a lot fireworks or motion because the 4 wins talked about above, however within the context of the victor’s profession, his success was simply as essential.
Cortez Acosta fought 5 occasions final 12 months, profitable 4 of them and shifting into the highest 5 heavyweight divisions. And whereas his punching energy was evident within the MMA gloves, what stood out most about knockout artist Ruiz on Saturday night time was his combating smarts.
Cortes-Acosta stayed out of hassle on the surface, forcing Ruiz to overreach along with his shot. That meant the “Black Beast” spent a lot of its offensive time swinging and lacking. Then, after Costes-Acosta caught Ruiz off-balance with a brief jab and despatched him flying to the canvas, he closed the space, unloaded his heavy artillery, and compelled a halt with floor assaults.
His rating might not have improved with this win, however he has gained 5 of his final six fights, together with a win over a former title challenger in his final outing, and anticipate to see ‘Salsa Boy’ with a top-class dance associate subsequent time.
Simon Head is the Editor-in-Chief of RDX Sports activities, a famend martial arts tools firm. Take a look at the most recent lineup MMA battle put on right now.
