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UFC Lightweight

Paddy Pimblett VS Benoît Saint Denis

T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

Tale of the Tape

24-4-0 Record 17-4-0, 1 NC
31 Age 30
178 cm Height 180 cm
185 cm Reach 185 cm
orthodox Stance southpaw
75% Finish rate 100%
29% KO rate 35%
46% Sub rate 65%

Result Summary

Paddy Pimblett def. Benoît Saint Denis Submission (d'arce choke) · R1 0:52

Paddy Pimblett submitted Benoît Saint Denis with a D'Arce choke at 0:52 of the first round in their lightweight bout at UFC 329 on July 11, 2026. Saint Denis shot for a takedown after an opening exchange on the feet, and Pimblett locked in a guillotine during the scramble. As they pressed against the cage, Pimblett transitioned the guillotine into a D'Arce choke; Saint Denis lost consciousness and referee Marc Goddard stopped the contest. The 52-second finish was among the quickest on the card, catching the French grappler with his own game — a choke secured before he could complete a single takedown.

Fight Overview

Paddy Pimblett looks to rebound from his first UFC loss against Justin Gaethje when he faces the high-pressure French grappler Benoit Saint Denis in a co-main event with legitimate title implications at 155 pounds. Saint Denis brings relentless wrestling pressure while Pimblett counters with elite submission skills and charisma that makes every Octagon appearance an event, setting up a compelling style clash between two fighters who never back down.

Keys to Victory

Paddy Pimblett

  1. Threaten with submissions from bottom position to make Saint Denis cautious about committing to takedowns.
  2. Use striking range to keep the fight standing where his boxing and counter timing can shine.
  3. Maintain composure against early pressure and look to finish late when Saint Denis energy fades.

Benoît Saint Denis

  1. Initiate takedown attempts repeatedly to force Pimblett to expend defensive energy and gas him out.
  2. Mix body kicks with level changes to keep Pimblett guessing and limit his counter-striking output.
  3. Work ground and pound from top position while staying disciplined about arm placement near Pimblett's submissions.

Last 5 fights

Paddy Pimblett

  1. L Justin Gaethje Decision · R5 5:00 · 24 JAN 2026
  2. W Michael Chandler TKO · R3 3:07 · 12 APR 2025
  3. W King Green Submission · R1 3:22 · 27 JUL 2024
  4. W Tony Ferguson Decision · R3 5:00 · 16 DEC 2023
  5. W Jared Gordon Decision · R3 5:00 · 10 DEC 2022

Benoît Saint Denis

  1. W Dan Hooker TKO · R2 4:45 · 31 JAN 2026
  2. W Beneil Dariush KO · R1 0:16 · 15 NOV 2025
  3. W Maurício Ruffy Submission · R2 2:56 · 6 SEPT 2025
  4. W Kyle Prepolec Submission · R2 2:35 · 10 MAY 2025
  5. L Renato Moicano TKO · R2 5:00 · 28 SEPT 2024

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AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.

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