Summary
Pimblett in training. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC
Next Saturday (24), Paddy Pimblett can reach the top of the sport in UFC 324 main fight against Justin gaethje, valid for the Ultimate lightweight belt (up to 70,3 kg). Very popular among the European public, mainly due to his achievements in Cage Warriors, the Evil One has been heavily promoted by Dana White since his arrival at the organization in 2021. However, this is not the first time something like this has happened in the biggest Mixed Martial Arts event in the world.
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Long before Pimblett stepped into the octagon for the first time, several fighters arrived at the event as 'Favorites'. Therefore, SUPER LUTAS presents some examples of these athletes, with completely different trajectories and results.
The last showing of Paddy Pimblett This has elevated him to a contender for the interim lightweight title! Could another victory be on the way for England? 🏆
Don't miss the main fight of #UFC324 ONLY in @ParamountPlusBR 🫵🏻
[Saturday (24) | From 19pm] pic.twitter.com/sgKUdo40dw
- UFC Brazil (@UFCBrasil) January 22, 2026
Besides Pimblett, check out the list of UFC 'Favorites'.
Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor in the octagon. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/brwlrz
It's impossible to start this list without mentioning the most popular name in the history of the sport. After catching Dana White's attention with his notorious personality and big knockouts on the European circuit, Conor McGregor He was signed by the world's largest MMA organization and made his debut in 2013, with a victory against Marcus Brimage in the first round.
The Irishman remained a standout in the featherweight division (up to 65,7 kg) for the following years, adding names such as Max Holloway e Chad Mendes to his cartel. In December 2015, he made history by turning off the lights of José Aldo In 13 seconds, he became the new champion of the category. A few months later, The Notorious became the first fighter to win belts in two divisions simultaneously by knocking out Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.
Sage Northcutt
S. Northcutt remained in the UFC for three years. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @supersagenorthcutt
Discovered on the Lookin' for a Fight program in August 2015, Sage Northcutt He caught the attention of Dana White and earned a spot in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). At only 19 years old, the young man received significant media exposure and quickly became a household name among fans and the media. His debut in the organization took place in October 2015 against Francisco Treviño. He won by technical knockout with punches and elbows in less than a minute.
Despite a good start, his performances and results became inconsistent in the following years, including submission losses to Bryan Barbarena and... Mickey gallHe left the company in 2018 with a record of six wins and two losses. Since then, he has competed twice in One Championship, being knocked out by Cosmo Alexandre and submitting Ahmed Mujtaba.
Sean O'Malley
Sean O'Malley during his UFC presentation. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @sugasean
One year later Conor McGregor To become a double champion, the first season of the Dana White Contender Series introduced us to Sean O'Malley. Suga defeated Alfred Khashakyan in the first round and managed to convince the bald fighter of his place in the organization. Unlike Northcutt, he evolved through several fights in the bantamweight division (up to 61,2 kg) between 2017 and 2023, until becoming the number one contender in the category.
In the main fight UFC 292O'Malley knocked out aljamain sterling in the second round and confirmed the expectations of much of the MMA world. He also defended his crown against Marlon Vera, but was eventually defeated by Merab Dvalishvilli. He returns to the octagon this Saturday (24) against song yadong.
Paige Vanzant
P. VanZant fought against well-known names in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
After competing in Invicta FC in 2013, Paige Vanzat was selected to compete in the twentieth season of The Ultimate Fighter, which would crown the first strawweight champion (up to 52,1 kg) in the organization's history. However, she could not participate in the program because she was only 20 years old, as the minimum age to participate in the reality show was 21. Despite this, she was signed by the Ultimate in 2014 and received similar treatment to that of [unclear - possibly a female fighter]. Sage Northcutt.
The fighter became very popular and won her first three fights in the organization. However, an arm injury changed her career forever. After suffering four losses in the following six fights, Paige was released from the UFC and has since ventured into other modalities, such as bare-knuckle boxing and even Power Slap.
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