Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett set the tone for the Paramount era in emphatic fashion, delivering a five-round war that earned both men six-figure paydays at UFC 324.
Gaethje picked up his 10th Fight of the Night bonus after outlasting Pimblett in an action-packed main event Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It marked Pimblett’s first Fight of the Night award. Both fighters walked away with $100,000 each, making them among the first to benefit from the revamped UFC 324 bonuses under the promotion’s new Paramount partnership.
Two more fighters joined the bonus list thanks to perfectly timed finishes earlier in the night. Ty Miller and Josh Hokit each earned Performance of the Night honours and $100k after scoring dramatic first-round knockouts with just one second remaining on the clock. Miller finished Adam Fugitt with a knee followed by punches, while Hokit overwhelmed Denzel Freeman with sustained ground-and-pound before the referee stepped in.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed during the post-fight press conference that finishes now carry guaranteed rewards under the new system.
“Any fighter that wins by knockout or submission is getting an automatic $25,000 bonus,” White said. “That’s every single event.”
That rule paid off immediately. Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Nikita Krylov each collected the $25,000 finish bonus on the night. Flyweight veteran Alex Perez also scored a knockout win but did not qualify for a bonus after missing weight on Friday.
The Octagon’s return to T-Mobile Arena also featured a high-stakes co-main event in the bantamweight division. Former champion Sean O’Malley edged Song Yadong in a competitive three-round bout. After a tight opening round and a strong second frame from Yadong, O’Malley rallied late, landing clean left hands and a sharp knee to swing the fight in his favour. Judges awarded “Suga” a unanimous decision.
With six-figure bonuses, automatic finish payouts, and a thrilling main event, UFC 324 delivered a strong opening statement for the Paramount era and set a new financial standard that fighters will be chasing going forward.
