Paddy Pimblett will face Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 329 on July 11. According to Ariel Helwani, UFC is also planning Max Holloway vs Conor McGregor for the same UFC 329 card. Additionally, Islam Makhachev vs Ian Garry is reportedly being targeted for UFC 330. Anatoly Malykhin explained why he won't move to UFC despite receiving offers, citing loyalty to his current promotion ONE Championship. Alex Pereira and Max Holloway will appear on the cover of the UFC 6 video game.
Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis have been officially booked to meet at UFC 329 on July 11, giving the lightweight division one of its most anticipated matchups of the year.
Pimblett, 31, enters the fight carrying a 23-4 record and currently sits sixth in the lightweight rankings. The Liverpool native trains out of Next Generation MMA and brings a well-rounded offensive game to the cage, averaging 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy while also threatening consistently on the ground with 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Verified fighter data for Saint-Denis was not available in the database at this time.
Why it matters
- Pimblett is ranked sixth at lightweight and a strong showing could push him into title contention talks.
- The card already carries significant weight, with reports indicating that Max Holloway versus Conor McGregor is being planned for the same UFC 329 event.
- Holloway, ranked fourth at lightweight and ninth pound-for-pound at 34 years old, averages a remarkable 7.2 significant strikes per minute, making any matchup involving him a high-stakes stylistic spectacle.
Elsewhere, UFC 330 is reportedly being targeted as the home for a welterweight title bout between champion Islam Makhachev and Ian Garry. Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1 record and is the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. The Russian champion is a suffocating grappler, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, while also posting a striking accuracy of 58 percent.
On a separate note, both Holloway and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira have been confirmed as cover athletes for the upcoming UFC 6 video game.
