The UFC has officially announced a matchup between Paddy Pimblett and Renato Moicano (Saint-Denis) for UFC 329 on July 11. The bout represents a significant step up for both fighters in the lightweight division. Additional details about the event location and other bouts were not provided in this post. According to journalist 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. The Pimblett-Saint-Denis fight adds to what appears to be a stacked summer schedule.
The UFC has officially announced that Paddy Pimblett will face Renato Moicano at UFC 329 on July 11, a lightweight bout that figures to carry real divisional weight heading into the summer.
Pimblett, known as "The Baddy," enters the fight ranked sixth in the lightweight division with a record of 23-4-0. The 31-year-old from England trains out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool and fights out of an orthodox stance. Standing five-foot-ten with a 73-inch reach, he is one of the more active strikers in the division, landing 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy. He also supplements his output with 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, reflecting the ground threat he carries into every fight.
Moicano comes in ranked 13th in the lightweight division and brings a record of 21-7-1 into the contest. The 37-year-old orthodox fighter stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach. His 4.1 significant strikes landed per minute is complemented by a strong wrestling presence, averaging 1.68 takedowns per 15 minutes — a number that exceeds Pimblett's in that category and could be a defining factor in how this fight plays out on the canvas.
Why it matters
- Pimblett is ranked sixth and a win over a seasoned veteran like Moicano would reinforce his top-five case in a crowded lightweight field
- Moicano sits at 13th but carries experience and grappling volume that makes him a genuine threat to the higher-ranked Pimblett
- The contrasting styles — Pimblett's high-volume striking and submission hunting versus Moicano's takedown-heavy approach — set up a compelling stylistic clash
- The bout adds to what the UFC is shaping into a stacked summer card, with other high-profile matchups reportedly being targeted for the same event and UFC 330
