Paddy Pimblett Reveals He Nearly Retired If He Lost to Benoit Saint Denis

Paddy Pimblett has admitted that a defeat to Benoit Saint Denis would have prompted him to walk away from mixed martial arts entirely, revealing the weight of what was at stake when the two lightweights met.

The Liverpool-born fighter, ranked sixth in the UFC lightweight division, told interviewers that his only reason for competing is to become world champion, and that a loss to Saint Denis would have convinced him that goal was out of reach. Pimblett, 31, carries a professional record of 24-4 and has built a reputation as one of the division's more prolific volume strikers, landing 5.48 significant strikes per minute at a 52 percent accuracy rate. He also averages 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes, reflecting the grappling threat that sits alongside his striking.

Pimblett described watching Justin Gaethje defeat Ilia Topuria as the single biggest motivational moment of his career. Gaethje, the current lightweight champion, holds a 28-5 record and is widely regarded as one of the sport's most relentless pressure fighters, averaging 6.48 significant strikes per minute with a 58 percent accuracy rate. Topuria, who entered that fight ranked second in the division and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings at 17-1, had been considered a formidable champion before the loss.

Pimblett says seeing Topuria beaten reignited his belief that the title is genuinely within reach, and that he is now motivated to face whoever is placed in front of him.

Why it matters

• Pimblett's sixth-place lightweight ranking means several ranked opponents stand between him and a title shot
• Gaethje's win over Topuria reshuffled the division's top tier, opening new paths for contenders below the top five
• A striker-grappler like Pimblett thriving in a wide-open division could accelerate his push toward championship contention