Paddy Pimblett's Next Move

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated May 2, 2026 5:43 AM ET

Paddy Pimblett has reportedly been booked to face Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Pimblett (23-4) enters the fight looking to rebuild following the biggest defeat of his career. He challenged Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC 324 in January, losing a unanimous decision that ended his hopes of facing Ilia Topuria at the White House. While Gaethje prepares to battle Topuria for the undisputed belt on June 14, Pimblett begins the process of working his way back to contention a month later.

Saint-Denis has won four straight and finished all of them. The Frenchman’s run includes victories over Kyle Prepolec, Mauricio Ruffy, and Beneil Dariush, before he announced himself as a genuine title threat with a second-round knockout of Dan Hooker at UFC 325 in February. That result elevated him to number seven in the lightweight rankings.

The Statistics

Statistics	Paddy Pimblett	Benoit Saint-Denis
Record	23-4	17-3 (1 NC)
Nickname	The Baddy	God of War
Nationality	British	French
UFC Ranking	No. 6	No. 5 LW
Last Fight	L – Gaethje (UD, UFC 324)	W – Hooker (KO R2, UFC 325)
Current Streak	0	4 wins
Betting Odds	+142	-170

Back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano stalled what had been a rapid rise, but Saint-Denis has since answered every question put to him. His finishing rate, physicality, and willingness to push the pace make him a credible threat to anyone at 155 pounds.

For Pimblett, the fight is a chance to prove his interim title shot was not a ceiling. He remains one of the most commercially valuable fighters on the roster and draws a crowd regardless of venue, but performances matter — and a loss to Gaethje demands a response against a ranked opponent. Saint-Denis is exactly that.

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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