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 planning to book Max Holloway vs. Conor McGregor for UFC 329 and Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Garry for UFC 330 in the near future. Additionally, Anatoly Malykhin explained he won't move to the UFC despite offers because ONE Championship gave him opportunities when no one else would, and he values loyalty to the organization. The post also mentions trainer Gor Azizyan suggesting Alexander Volkov only ran during his fight with Sergei Pavlovich and that a rematch with a different tactic could yield different results.
The UFC has officially announced a lightweight matchup between Paddy Pimblett and Renato Moicano for UFC 329 on July 11, giving the card a high-profile co-feature as the promotion builds toward one of its most anticipated events in recent memory.
Pimblett, the charismatic Liverpool native, has built a passionate fanbase during his UFC run and remains one of the most recognizable names in the lightweight division. He enters the bout looking to prove himself against elite-level competition in a division that continues to produce some of the sport's most compelling matchups.
Moicano, the Brazilian veteran, is a technically sharp fighter who has reinvented himself as a legitimate lightweight threat. His grappling and submission game have made him a dangerous opponent for anyone in the top fifteen.
Why it matters
- A win for either fighter likely pushes them into serious lightweight title contention discussions
- The stylistic contrast between Pimblett's aggressive pressure game and Moicano's technical, submission-oriented approach sets up a compelling tactical battle
- UFC 329 is already shaping up to be a blockbuster card, with reports from journalist Ariel Helwani indicating the UFC is also targeting Max Holloway versus Conor McGregor for the same event
Beyond the Pimblett-Moicano announcement, Helwani also reports the promotion is planning to book pound-for-pound number-one ranked lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who holds a 28-1 record at 34 years old, against welterweight Ian Garry for UFC 330 in the near future. Makhachev, fighting out of Eagles MMA, averages 3.2 takedowns per fifteen minutes and converts at a 58 percent striking accuracy rate, making him one of the most complete fighters in the sport today.
Holloway, ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth pound-for-pound at 34, carries a 27-9 record and an extraordinary 7.2 significant strikes landed per minute, a figure that underscores his relentless output.
