'Easy work' - Pimblett makes weight for Gaethje fight

Paddy Pimblett taunted Justin Gaethje about his weight cut during the final face-off before Saturday evening's interim lightweight title fight at UFC 324 in Las Vegas.

Pimblett, 31, easily made the weight earlier on Friday, while 37-year-old Gaethje was the last fighter to hit the scales later that morning.

At a raucous ceremonial weigh-in inside the T-Mobile Arena, Pimblett took the opportunity to attempt to get under the skin of his often unflinching American opponent.

"How'd the weight cut go?," said a smiling Pimblett, with Gaethje replying "Great".

Pimblett quipped "Didn't look like it", before Gaethje told the Liverpudlian to concentrate on fighting.

The face-off ended with a handshake between the pair and Pimblett punching the air as he played up to the crowd one final time.

Pimblett, who has exuded confidence in fight week, burst into life when he stepped on stage, and was received by huge roars and a few jeers.

The Briton is the favourite in the fight. His growing stardom was punctuated by a massive influx of fans from the UK on Friday.

While the news conference was sparsely attended on Thursday, thousands packed into the arena for the weigh-in.

Among them was a massive group from Liverpool, whose voices clearly stood out among the otherwise American crowd.

Many of Pimblett's team-mates and closest friends have followed him to Vegas for the bout, which takes place in the early hours of Sunday on UK time, as he aims to become the first fighter from his home city to claim a UFC belt.

Pimblett was 154lbs (11st) on the scales, while Gaethje was slightly heavier at 155lbs (11st 1lb).

Gaethje is a two-time title challenger at lightweight, a former interim champion in 2020 and has a resume that includes facing Khabib Nurmagomedov, Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira.

The knockout artist certainly has a place in the UFC Hall of Fame whenever he decides to hang up his gloves.

"Justin Gaethje's a legend," Pimblett said.

"I am going to come out and finish him, add another legend to my resume and take this interim title back home to Liverpool, England."

Pimblett is on a seven-fight winning streak, the longest in the lightweight division.

Meanwhile, Gaethje insists Pimblett's clear confidence will be his undoing as he aims to finish his eight-year spell in the UFC with one final run at an undisputed title.

The winner of Saturday's fight will be next in line to face champion Ilia Topuria in the summer.

"This is the biggest fight of my life," Gaethje said.

"It means everything. I've committed my whole life to this."

Live text commentary on UFC 324 will begin from 03:00 GMT on Sunday morning on the BBC Sport website and app.

Main card from 02:00 GMT on Sunday, 25 January:

Preliminary card from 00:00 GMT on Sunday, 25 January: