Pimblett secures victory in co-main event
Paddy Pimblett secured a first-round submission victory over Benoit Saint Denis in the lightweight co-main event at UFC 329. The fight took place on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The referee for the 155-pound clash was Marc Goddard.
The bout saw an immediate start, with both fighters engaging quickly after touching gloves. Pimblett landed an early strike on Saint Denis, leading to grappling. He then secured a choke, which resulted in Saint Denis being rendered unconscious. The official result indicated that Pimblett defeated Saint Denis via first-round submission with a d’arce choke at 0:52 of the round.
Prior to this fight, Saint Denis, who holds a record of 17-3, 1 NC, was ranked No. 7 at 155 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings. He had been on a four-fight win streak, finishing all opponents during this period. His recent victories included fellow top 10 contender Mauricio Ruffy, and veterans Dan Hooker and Beneil Dariush. A two-fight skid in 2024 had preceded his recent strong form, suggesting he could soon challenge for UFC gold.
White praises Pimblett’s resilience
UFC president Dana White had expressed anticipation for an “incredible” fight between Pimblett and Saint Denis. White noted that Pimblett had proven many doubters wrong, even after his previous loss to Justin Gaethje. That interim lightweight championship match saw Pimblett fall short, ending his nine-fight win streak and his perfect UFC record, which had started with 7-0 with the promotion.
Despite the loss to Gaethje, Pimblett’s standing improved, particularly after Gaethje went on to defeat No. 1-ranked Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250. Pimblett himself mentioned feeling less pressure leading up to the fight against Saint Denis, stating that the loss to Gaethje had motivated him. He recalled feeling unusually nervous before his last fight, which he interpreted as a premonition of defeat.
Pimblett reflected on the paradox of gaining more respect for losing to Gaethje than for his preceding seven-fight win streak. He found it notable how fight fans reacted, giving him more credit for a loss than for winning seven consecutive bouts. Saint Denis had not been defeated since a knockout by Renato Moicano in September 2024.
Upcoming main event and broadcast details
Following the co-main event, Conor McGregor is scheduled to make his return to the Octagon for the first time since 2021, facing Max Holloway. Dana White anticipated that Saturday would be a significant event, especially after Pimblett’s previous performance.
For viewers in the UK, the main card of UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 was broadcast live exclusively on TNT Sports Box Office. The event was available for purchase at £19.99 in the UK, and could be watched via platforms such as HBO Max, EE TV, Virgin Media TV, Prime Video, and Sky. EE TV customers could purchase the event through their set-top box on channel 494.
HBO Max tier customers could purchase the event on hbomax.com, requiring an existing HBO Max subscription. Prime Video customers did not need a Prime subscription to access the event, finding it in the “Live and upcoming events” row or by searching for the title. In the Republic of Ireland, viewers could purchase TNT Sports Box Office via Sky for €29.99. Sky customers could also purchase through the HBO Max app, checking if it was included in their subscription or starting a new one from £4.99 per month. Virgin Media TV customers in the UK with TiVo and/or V6 set-top boxes could access it via the On-Demand section, while those with Virgin TV 360 and/or Stream set-top boxes could find it on the Pay Per View Events rail.
Source: mmafighting.com