Fiziev predicts Saint Denis vs. Pimblett will earn UFC 329 Fight of the Night

Rafael Fiziev has gone on record predicting that Benoit Saint Denis and Paddy Pimblett will walk away from UFC 329 with the Fight of the Night bonus, calling both men "street fighters" ahead of their lightweight clash on July 11, 2026.

Pimblett, ranked sixth in the lightweight division, carries a 23-4-0 record into the bout. The 31-year-old from England trains out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool and fights out of an orthodox stance. He lands 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and averages 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, marking him as a genuine threat on the ground as well as on the feet.

Saint Denis enters ranked ninth at lightweight with a 17-3-0 record. The 30-year-old southpaw stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach and presents a well-rounded offensive profile. He lands 5.62 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 58 percent accuracy and adds a smothering grappling game, averaging 4.19 takedowns and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Fiziev himself is no stranger to the lightweight picture, sitting seventh in the division at 14-5-0. The 33-year-old from Kazakhstan, who trains at Tiger Muay Thai, carries credibility when assessing striking-heavy matchups, landing 4.71 significant strikes per minute across his career.

Why it matters

• Both Saint Denis and Pimblett top five significant strikes landed per minute, setting up a fast-paced, high-volume exchange
• Saint Denis's elite takedown rate of 4.19 per 15 minutes tests Pimblett's submission defense and ground game
• A Fight of the Night performance from either man could push them toward the top five in a division where rankings movement carries title implications
• Fiziev's public endorsement adds anticipation to one of the more compelling lightweight matchups on the UFC 329 card