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Paddy Pimblett Chokes UFC 329 Opponent to Sleep Before McGregor vs. Holloway Fight

"The Baddy" is back in the win column.
Drew Beaupre|
(Zuffa LLC)

The co-main event for UFC 329 saw Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis square off in a pivotal fight for the lightweight division.

Arguably the most highly-anticipated UFC card of the entire year, UFC 329 was headlined by the return of former two-division UFC titleholder Conor McGregor following five years on the sidelines.

Before McGregor got back into action to rematch Max Holloway in the night's main event, Pimblett returned for the first time since his failed interim lightweight title bid to take on French finisher Benoit Saint-Denis.

Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint-Denis Served as Co-Main for UFC 329 Fight Card

A former Cage Warriors titleholder, Pimblett joined the UFC in 2021 and secured three consecutive post-fight bonuses when he finished the first three opponents he faced in the Octagon.

What eventually turned into a 7-0 run to start his UFC career earned Pimblett his first crack at UFC gold at UFC 324, where "The Baddy" showcased his toughness but ultimately lost a unanimous decision to recently-crowned UFC Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje.

Justin Gaethje (red gloves) fights Paddy Pimblett (blue gloves) during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena.
Justin Gaethje (red gloves) fights Paddy Pimblett (blue gloves) during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Saint-Denis also joined the UFC in 2021 but made his debut up a weight class and dropped a decision to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. The Frenchman rebounded with five-straight finishes before suffering back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano.

Benoit Saint Denis during weigh-ins for UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena.
Benoit Saint Denis during weigh-ins for UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unfazed by the first two-fight skid of his career, Saint-Denis returned to the win column at UFC 315 and stopped another four opponents in a row to set up a massive showdown with Pimblett at UFC 329.

"The Baddy" Submits Saint-Denis in 52 Seconds Before McGregor vs. Holloway

The UFC 329 co-main event followed an action-packed main card for the event, as King Green and Brandon Royval both scored finishes over Terrance McKinney and Lone'er Kavanagh before Mario Bautista defeated Cory Sandhagen in a rematch of their 2019 meeting.

Despite the incredible winning run that preceeded his title fight with Gaethje, Pimblett actually came into UFC 329 as a slight underdog to the surging Saint-Denis.

It didn't take long to get a resolution in the penultimate fight of UFC 329, as "The Baddy" wasted little time before he wrapped his opponent's neck up and went all-in on trying to end things early via submission.

Saint-Densi was able to surive initially, but Pimblett stayed committed and made a few adjustments before he eventually put the Frenchman unconscious with a D'arce choke just under a minute into the opening round.

Following the win, Pimblett took aim at fans that thought he was "finished" after the Gaethje loss and called out the likes of Ilia Topuria, along with UFC 329 headliners McGregor and Holloway.

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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