A 52-Second Statement in the Octagon
Paddy Pimblett secured a dominant first-round submission victory over Benoît Saint Denis at UFC 329. The win, which came via a 52-second D’Arce choke, marks a significant career rebound for the 31-year-old Liverpool native following his January 2026 loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324.
The sequence began just nine seconds into the bout when Saint Denis attempted a high kick followed by a takedown. Pimblett initially tried a guillotine, and by the time the two were settled, he transitioned into the D’Arce choke that ultimately ended the fight. It stands as the second-fastest D’Arce choke submission in UFC history, trailing only Kyle Daukaus’ 50-second finish.
“Sub of the year, b****es. I knew he was out,” Pimblett said after the bout. “My man was face-down eating canvas.”
Targeting the Lightweight Elite
In the aftermath of his victory, which improved his professional record to 24-4, Pimblett made it clear he intends to climb back into the lightweight title conversation. He specifically challenged several high-profile names, including former two-division champion Ilia Topuria, a potential rematch with Gaethje, and both main event participants, Conor McGregor and Max Holloway.
UFC veteran Matt Brown publicly endorsed a bout between Pimblett and Topuria, writing on Twitter, Ilia vs. Paddy next? Easiest matchmaking ever right?
Pimblett addressed the broader skepticism surrounding his career trajectory during his post-fight interview. “Everyone said I was finished because I got beat by Gaethje,” Pimblett stated. “What now? Am I finished? Who wants it next? I’ll beat Ilia. I’ll rematch Justin. I’ll fight Conor or Max. I don’t give a f*. Give me anyone, and I’ll punch their f*ing head in.”
Performance Bonuses and Peer Acclaim
The victory earned Pimblett an additional $100,000 for “Performance of the Night” honors, the sixth time in his career he has earned such an award. He has previously shared “Fight of the Night” honors with Gaethje.
His peers were quick to acknowledge the dominance of the win. Featherweight veteran Billy Quarantillo took to social media to state, “Quick submission Paddy is the real deal.” Additionally, retired stars Kenny Florian and Glover Teixeira were effusive in their praise for “The Baddy.” Pimblett concluded his post-fight interview by singing a tribute to late Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother Andres.
Mixed Results for the Next Generation Gym
The success for the Liverpool-based Next Generation gym extended beyond Pimblett. Luke Riley, 27, who trains alongside Pimblett, also secured a victory on the preliminary card, extending his perfect record to 14 victories with a TKO win over Kai Kamaka III. Riley dropped Kamaka with a heavy right late in round one before forcing the referee to step in after unloading with knees and punches.
“My past two fights I’ve been very harsh on myself but I’m very happy with this one,” Riley said. “When I hit someone it’s bedtime – they are going for a nap.”
However, not all fighters fared as well. Flyweight Lone’er Kavanagh, 27, suffered a submission loss to Brandon Royval. Kavanagh dropped Royval early in round two after landing a looping right but was unable to get the finish. Royval recovered to take Kavanagh’s back and sink in a rear-naked choke in the third round. Kavanagh now faces a reset after his second loss in five fights since signing with the UFC.
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