The UFC has officially announced a lightweight bout between Paddy Pimblett and Renato Moicano for UFC 329 on July 11. 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 to see a rematch with Alexander Volkov, claiming Volkov only ran during their fight and that Pavlovich just needs to change tactics for victory. Alex Pereira and Max Holloway will appear on the cover of UFC 6 video game, with Pereira on the base version and Holloway on the deluxe edition.
The UFC has made Paddy Pimblett versus Renato Moicano official for UFC 329, scheduled for July 11, giving the lightweight division one of its most anticipated matchups of the summer.
Pimblett, the Liverpool-born fan favorite, has built a significant following since joining the UFC roster, and a bout of this profile represents a clear step up in the lightweight rankings. Moicano, the Brazilian veteran, brings proven experience at the top of the 155-pound division and will enter the fight looking to reassert himself among the lightweight elite.
Why it matters
- A win for either fighter could push them into the top-five lightweight conversation
- The bout headlines or features prominently on a card that may also include high-profile additions
- Contrasting styles — Pimblett's grappling-heavy approach against Moicano's well-rounded game — make for a compelling stylistic matchup
UFC 329 is shaping up to be a stacked card beyond just this pairing. According to reporter Ariel Helwani, the promotion is working to finalize Max Holloway against Conor McGregor for the same event. Holloway, ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth in the pound-for-pound standings, carries a 27-9 record and one of the most prolific striking outputs in UFC history, averaging 7.2 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy. The 34-year-old American trains out of Gracie Technics and would bring considerable star power to any card.
Separately, Islam Makhachev — the reigning welterweight champion with a 28-1 record, a 58 percent striking accuracy, and an elite grappling rate of 3.2 takedowns per fifteen minutes — is being targeted to face Ian Garry at UFC 330, per the same reports.
On the heavyweight front, the trainer of Sergei Pavlovich, Gadzhi Azizyan, has publicly called for a rematch with Alexander Volkov, arguing that Volkov's movement dictated the outcome of their previous meeting and that a tactical adjustment would produce a different result. Volkov, ranked first in the heavyweight division, carries a 40-11 record and stands six-foot-seven with an 80-inch reach.
