Fusion diagnostics can involve the measurement of ultra-fast optical pulses, often in close temporal proximity. We present a solution for the diagnostics of gamma reaction history and neutron time of flight by using microchannel plate based photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). The time response of the PMTs can be as fast as 100 ps FWHM and with a gain of up to 10(7). To observe small events in close temporal proximity to much larger signals such as the down-scattered fraction, the response of MCP-PMTs can be gated with an on∕off ratio of up to 10(13) in just 2 ns.