Paddy Pimblett will face Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 329 on July 11. According to Ariel Helwani, UFC is also planning to book Max Holloway versus Conor McGregor for UFC 329 and Islam Makhachev versus Ian Garry for UFC 330 in the near future. Guram Azizyan, trainer of Sergei Pavlovich, stated he would like a rematch with Alexander Volkov, claiming Volkov only ran during their fight and that Pavlovich just needs to change tactics. Anatoly Malykhin explained why he won't move to UFC despite offers, citing loyalty to his current promotion's boss who gave him opportunities when nobody else would. Alex Pereira and Max Holloway will appear on the cover of UFC 6 game, 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, giving the lightweight division a high-profile matchup that has been long anticipated by fans of both fighters.
Beyond the confirmed main event booking, UFC is also reportedly planning to pair Max Holloway against Conor McGregor at UFC 329, according to Ariel Helwani, while pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev is being lined up to defend against Ian Garry at UFC 330 in the near future.
Holloway, ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth in the pound-for-pound standings, carries a 27-9 record and is one of the sport's most prolific strikers, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. The 34-year-old American trains out of Gracie Technics and competes out of an orthodox stance.
Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion and the top-ranked fighter pound-for-pound at 28-1, would be a formidable opponent for anyone. The 34-year-old Russian trains with Eagles MMA and combines elite grappling — averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes — with a striking accuracy of 58 percent.
In other news making the rounds, the trainer of Sergei Pavlovich, Guram Azizyan, has expressed interest in a rematch with heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov, arguing that Volkov employed overly defensive tactics in their previous encounter and that Pavlovich simply needs to adjust his approach. Volkov, ranked first in the heavyweight division at 40-11, stands six feet seven inches tall with an 80-inch reach and has long been a fixture near the top of the heavyweight rankings at age 37.
Separately, ONE Championship heavyweight champion Anatoly Malykhin addressed speculation about a potential UFC move, stating he will remain with his current promotion out of loyalty to the boss who gave him his opportunity when others would not.
Why it matters
- Pimblett vs Saint-Denis adds a marquee lightweight clash to UFC 329's growing card
- A potential Holloway-McGregor booking would give UFC 329 enormous mainstream attention
- Makhachev vs Garry at UFC 330 would pit the pound-for-pound number one against a rising welterweight contender
