Paddy Pimblett believes Benoit Saint Denis will be reluctant to attempt takedowns against him due to the danger Pimblett presents on the ground. Pimblett acknowledged that Saint Denis's default instinct is to wrestle, but expects that threat to keep him at bay — at least until Saint Denis resets to his base game after absorbing strikes. Pimblett is preparing for the possibility of wrestling regardless.
Paddy Pimblett has declared that Benoit Saint Denis will think twice before shooting for takedowns when the two lightweights meet, arguing that the danger he poses on the mat will act as a deterrent against the Frenchman's primary weapon.
Pimblett, ranked sixth in the lightweight division at 31 years old, carries a professional record of 23-4. Fighting out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool, the Englishman has built a reputation as a genuine submission threat, averaging 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He lands 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy, and while his takedown output is modest at 0.69 per 15 minutes, it is his ground danger as a receiver that he believes will complicate Saint Denis's game plan.
Saint Denis, ranked ninth in the division at 30 years old, enters with a record of 17-3 and a style built heavily around wrestling. The southpaw averages an aggressive 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes — one of the higher rates in the lightweight division — and lands 5.62 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, showing he is equally dangerous on the feet. He also averages 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, meaning the ground game could cut both ways.
Pimblett acknowledged that wrestling is Saint Denis's natural instinct, but suggested his submission threats will make that instinct difficult to act on. He did add a caveat: once Saint Denis resets after absorbing strikes, the takedown attempts will likely come. Pimblett said he is preparing for that scenario regardless.
Why it matters
- A win moves Pimblett up from sixth and applies pressure on the top five of a stacked lightweight division.
- Saint Denis drops from ninth with a loss, putting his return to contention on hold.
- The stylistic tension is genuine — Saint Denis's elite wrestling volume runs directly into Pimblett's submission-heavy ground game, making the grappling exchanges the likely deciding factor.
