The UFC has officially announced Paddy Pimblett versus Renato Moicano for UFC 329 on July 11. According to Ariel Helwani, the promotion is also working on booking Max Holloway versus Conor McGregor for UFC 329 and Islam Makhachev versus Ian Garry for UFC 330, though these remain unconfirmed. Additionally, 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 expanded edition. The report also mentioned that Anatoly Malykhin has turned down UFC offers, stating loyalty to his current promotion ONE Championship.
The UFC has officially confirmed Paddy Pimblett will face Renato Moicano at UFC 329 on July 11, with the promotion locking in one of the lightweight division's most anticipated matchups.
Pimblett, 31, carries a 23-4 record and holds the sixth spot in the lightweight rankings. The Liverpool-born fighter out of Next Generation MMA has built his reputation on a well-rounded game, averaging 5.49 significant strikes landed per minute at 52 percent accuracy while also posing a constant submission threat, averaging 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes. His 73-inch reach — notable for a fighter standing five-foot-ten — gives him an edge in dictating distance.
The article notes that the UFC is also working to finalize Max Holloway versus Conor McGregor for the same card, though that bout remains unconfirmed. Holloway, ranked fourth at lightweight and ninth pound-for-pound, holds a 27-9 record and is one of the sport's most prolific strikers, throwing and landing at a rate of 7.2 significant strikes per minute. The 34-year-old Hawaiian trains out of Gracie Technics and stands five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach.
Also unconfirmed is a welterweight title fight between champion Islam Makhachev and Ian Garry, reported as a target for UFC 330. Makhachev, ranked number one pound-for-pound, owns a 28-1 record and currently holds welterweight gold. The 34-year-old Russian is a dominant grappler, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, while posting a striking accuracy of 58 percent.
Separately, Pereira and Holloway have been confirmed as cover athletes for the UFC 6 video game, with Pereira featured on the base edition and Holloway on the expanded version. Anatoly Malykhin, meanwhile, has declined UFC overtures, publicly citing loyalty to ONE Championship.
Why it matters
- Pimblett vs. Moicano is a confirmed lightweight clash with real top-ten implications for the sixth-ranked contender
- The reported Holloway-McGregor and Makhachev-Garry bouts, if finalized, would make UFC 329 and UFC 330 two of the year's highest-profile cards
- Malykhin's rejection of UFC offers leaves one of combat sports' top heavyweights off the table for the promotion
