Paddy Pimblett achieves remarkable victory at UFC 329
Paddy Pimblett silenced his doubters in spectacular fashion at UFC 329, putting Benoit Saint-Denis to sleep in just 52 seconds with a devastating D’Arce choke, reports BritPanorama.
The Liverpool fighter delivered one of the most impressive performances of his career in the co-main event at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. It marked Pimblett’s first fight since suffering a unanimous decision defeat to interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje earlier in January — a loss that led many to question whether the 31-year-old belonged among the elite ranks of the division.
The sequence that ended Saint-Denis’s night began when the Frenchman threw a high kick just nine seconds in before shooting for a takedown. Pimblett showcased excellent grappling skills, sprawling effectively and immediately working on the neck, transitioning from a guillotine attempt into a tight D’Arce choke as Saint-Denis dropped to his knees.
Saint-Denis refused to tap out, but it was inconsequential — he was already unconscious. Referee Marc Goddard intervened to stop the fight, with the French fighter face down on the canvas. “I knew he was out,” Pimblett remarked afterwards. “My man was face down eating canvas.”
The submission became the second-fastest D’Arce choke in UFC history, trailing only Kyle Daukaus’s 50-second effort. “Sub of the year,” Pimblett proclaimed. “I’m like a spider. When I’ve got hold of you, you don’t get out and it’s as simple as that.”
The victory was a cathartic moment for a fighter who had faced intense criticism following his prior defeat to Gaethje. “Everyone counted me out,” he said. “Everyone said I was finished because I lost to Gaethje but what now? Am I finished?” He did not hesitate to call out prominent names in the lightweight division, stating, “I’ll beat Ilia up, I’ll rematch Justin, I’ll fight Conor or Max. Give me anyone and I’ll punch their head in.”
The win improved his professional record to 24 victories out of 28 fights, with seven coming by submission. After celebrating in the octagon, Pimblett delivered an emotional tribute to the late Liverpool and Portugal winger Diogo Jota, who tragically died in a car accident one year ago.
The evening served as a reminder of both the highs and lows in the life of a fighter — how fleeting success can be and the swift nature of redemption within the octagon.
