Paddy Pimblett says he packed on weight after his five-round war with Justin Gaethje at UFC 324

Paddy Pimblett is still processing the physical toll of his interim UFC lightweight title fight with Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in January. In the aftermath of a contest that went the full five rounds, Pimblett said he ended up getting “fat,” offering a candid look at what happens to a fighter’s body when the immediate focus shifts away from preparing for a fight and toward recovery.

According to the report, Pimblett and Gaethje traded strikes for roughly 25 minutes in a hard-fought back-and-forth that stayed competitive from bell to bell. Gaethje walked away with the win and captured the interim UFC lightweight title, a result that tightened the division’s title picture and left Pimblett searching for answers about how to rebound from such a taxing matchup.

The key detail from Pimblett’s comments is not the outcome of the fight, but the road it set him on afterward. He described the changes in his body after the Gaethje bout, using the blunt description of getting “fat” to explain that the post-fight period did not look the way fighters typically plan to return to camp. That matters because weight management and training rhythm are closely tied, especially for fighters who want to stay explosive rather than simply recover.

While the report frames Pimblett’s comments as a reflection on his own condition after UFC 324, the broader takeaway is familiar in MMA: a full five-round fight can take more than just a mental toll. Even when there is no new injury reported in the account, fighters often have to recalibrate their schedule, diet, and training intensity. In that window, small slippages can turn into noticeable weight gain, particularly if the fighter’s appetite or recovery needs swing quickly.

For the UFC lightweight division, Pimblett’s recovery story is also part of what fans will be watching next. Interim-title fights tend to reshape expectations for contenders because they confirm that a fighter can sustain elite-level output late in rounds. A contender’s ability to come back cleanly, avoid extended stagnation, and return to a consistent training cadence is just as important as what they did in the cage.

As of this writing, the report centers on Pimblett’s explanation of the post-fight weight gain and does not add additional details about his future bout or timetable. Still, his remarks underscore an ongoing reality of high-level MMA, that even after a performance at the top of the sport, the work begins again once the adrenaline fades.

Pimblett’s next camp will likely determine whether that “fat” period becomes a short detour or a longer-term consequence. In a division that moves quickly and rewards sharp preparation, the way a contender returns after a full-distance title fight can tell as much of the next chapter as the next announcement does.