Paddy Pimblett will face Benoit Saint-Denis on July 11 at UFC 329. According to Ariel Helwani, the UFC is also working on booking Max Holloway vs. Conor McGregor for UFC 329 and Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Garry for UFC 330. Additionally, Gadzhi Azizyan, trainer of Sergei Pavlovich, stated he would like a rematch with Alexander Volkov, claiming Volkov only ran during their fight and Pavlovich just needs to change tactics. Alex Pereira and Max Holloway will appear on the covers of UFC 6, with Pereira on the base version and Holloway on the deluxe edition.
Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis have been officially booked to meet at UFC 329 on July 11, with the bout now confirmed on the card.
Beyond that main booking, reporter Ariel Helwani has indicated the UFC is working to finalize Max Holloway against Conor McGregor for the same event, while Islam Makhachev versus Ian Garry is being targeted for UFC 330. Neither of those bouts is official at this stage.
Holloway, ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth in the pound-for-pound rankings, carries a 27-9-0 record at 34 years old. The Hawaiian standout, who trains out of Gracie Technics, is one of the most prolific strikers in the sport, averaging 7.2 significant strikes per minute with 48 percent accuracy.
Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion and the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, holds a 28-1-0 record. The 34-year-old Russian operates out of Eagles MMA and blends elite grappling with precise striking, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a 58 percent striking accuracy rate.
Separately, Gadzhi Azizyan, the trainer of heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich, has publicly called for a rematch with Alexander Volkov, alleging that Volkov only ran during their previous encounter and suggesting Pavlovich simply needs to adjust his tactics to secure a different result. Volkov, ranked first in the heavyweight division, owns a 40-11-0 record. The 37-year-old Russian stands six-foot-seven with an 80-inch reach, and lands significant strikes at a rate of 4.78 per minute.
On a lighter note, Alex Pereira and Max Holloway have been confirmed as cover athletes for the upcoming UFC 6 video game, with Pereira featured on the base edition and Holloway on the deluxe version.
Why it matters
- Pimblett vs. Saint-Denis adds a high-profile lightweight clash to UFC 329
- A potential Makhachev vs. Garry welterweight title fight at UFC 330 would put the pound-for-pound king against a rising contender in a new division
- The Pavlovich camp publicly lobbying for a Volkov rematch keeps the heavyweight contender picture unsettled
