Paddy Pimblett identifies Benoit Saint Denis' biggest threat ahead of UFC 329

Paddy Pimblett has gone on record identifying what he believes is the most dangerous element of Benoit Saint Denis' game ahead of their lightweight clash at UFC 329 on July 11.

Pimblett, 31, enters the fight ranked sixth in the lightweight division with a 23-4-0 record. Fighting out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool, the Englishman is known for his attacking style, averaging 5.49 significant strikes landed per minute at 52 percent accuracy. He also adds a submission threat on the ground, attempting submissions at a rate of 1.2 per 15 minutes. The matchup represents a significant opportunity for Pimblett to climb closer to the top five and push his case for a title shot.

Saint Denis, nicknamed "God of War," holds a 17-3-0 record and sits ninth in the division at 30 years old. The southpaw Frenchman is one of the more complete fighters in the lightweight ranks, posting an impressive striking accuracy of 58 percent alongside 5.62 significant strikes landed per minute. What makes him particularly formidable, however, is his wrestling output — he averages 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes, among the highest rates in the division — and he supplements that with 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Both fighters share an identical reach of 73 inches, setting up a closely matched physical contest.

Pimblett indicated he has a clear read on Saint Denis' approach, suggesting he has already identified the weapon he considers most threatening heading into fight week.

Why it matters

• A win for Pimblett would likely push him inside the lightweight top five and strengthen any title contention argument.
• Saint Denis' elite takedown rate is a direct test of Pimblett's defensive wrestling, a historically debated area of his game.
• Both fighters are high-output strikers, making a stand-up exchange equally likely and potentially spectacular.
• The result could reshuffle the division's contender picture well ahead of any future title fight.