Charles Oliveira cautions Justin Gaethje to fix one big flaw ahead of Paddy Pimblett title clash

Justin Gaethje’s former rival Charles Oliveira believes his former foe has to patch up one significant weakness before UFC 324.

Less than a year after Ilia Topuria’s lightweight title win, the UFC will put an interim belt on the line next month at UFC 324. Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, who both made strong cases to face Topuria, will fight for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 amidst Topuria’s indefinite absence due to personal reasons.

This will be Gaethje’s third shot at an undisputed UFC title after past losses to Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov. He earned the interim title shot after recent wins over Dustin Poirier and Rafael Fiziev.

If Gaethje wants to secure a shot at Topuria and the undisputed lightweight belt, he might make recent comments from one of his former rivals a focus in his camp.

Charles Oliveira: Justin Gaethje’s grappling could determine success vs. Paddy Pimblett

In a recent interview with Olhar da Luta, Oliveira weighed in on Gaethje’s upcoming fight against Pimblett.

“He [Pimblett] strikes well on his feet, can take the fight to the ground, and is constantly moving,” Oliveira said.

“On the other hand, we know that Justin Gaethje is a very tough fighter with insane striking, but he has some flaws on the ground. I think Pimblett won’t want to exchange blows with him, he’ll probably try to take it to the ground.

“If he decides to exchange blows, he could be knocked out. But, if he bets on the takedown, he has a chance to become champion. Still, I would really like Gaethje to come out victorious.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)

While Gaethje is known for his electric striking, he has more experience in wrestling, dating back to before he began his MMA career. He’s showcased solid takedown defense in recent wins over Fiziev and Tony Ferguson.