The Paramount era begins tonight with UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Spearheading the UFC odds is an interim title bout, rounding out what should be a tremendous night of action.
Below, I break down three fights in my free UFC 324 predictions and betting picks for Saturday, January 24.
Best UFC 324 parlay picks
Ateba Gautier by KO/TKO or DQ
Waldo Cortes Acosta by KO/TKO or DQ
Paddy Pimblett moneyline
Ateba Gautier by KO/TKO or DQ
The UFC 324 prelims feature Ateba Gautier against Andrey Pulyaev in a middleweight matchup that feels heavily tilted in one direction. Gautier is one of the largest betting favorites on the entire card, and it’s easy to see why when you look at his finishing profile and activity level.
Eight of Gautier's nine professional wins have come by KO, and he consistently pressures opponents early with volume and power rather than waiting for perfect openings. While some have questioned the quality of competition he’s faced, consistent early finishes still translate, especially against defensively porous opponents.
Pulyaev has already been knocked out in the first round before, showing that his chin is far from bulletproof when faced with aggressive punchers. Given the stylistic matchup and Gautier’s clear highlight-reel upside, a KO/TKO is the most logical outcome.
Waldo Cortes Acosta by KO/TKO or DQ
On the main card, Waldo Cortes Acosta puts his No. 5 heavyweight ranking on the line against Derrick Lewis.
Acosta enters as the betting favorite and appears to be a particularly difficult matchup for Lewis due to his pure boxing fundamentals and ability to absorb clean power shots.
Unlike many heavyweights, Acosta maintains strong defensive responsibility while still throwing with volume, which limits Lewis’s usual one-shot comeback opportunities. Acosta also owns a proven chin, a critical advantage against Lewis, whose primary path to victory remains landing a single nuclear punch.
Three of Acosta’s last four wins have come by KO, showing that his power is catching up to his technique.
Paddy Pimblett moneyline
The main event features an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. The trajectories of these two fighters tell a compelling story: Gaethje is 37 years old with significant mileage from years of wars, while Pimblett continues to show steady development, durability, and a more mature approach to high-level fights.
Paddy’s fight IQ is often underestimated, but he has consistently shown an ability to identify and commit to his clearest path to victory. That path here involves avoiding extended brawls and exploiting Gaethje’s vulnerable grappling defense.
Can Gaethje catch him? Absolutely, but Pimblett has proven tough, opportunistic, and smart enough not to live in danger longer than necessary. If Paddy sticks to grappling, manages distance intelligently, and avoids ego-driven exchanges, he has a very real chance to pull off one of the most controversial title runs in recent memory.
Not intended for use in MA.
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