​Michael Bisping has argued that the UFC had little choice but to pair Paddy Pimblett with Benoit Saint-Denis, as the Liverpudlian works to rebound from his first defeat inside the Octagon. In January, Pimblett was decisively outpointed by Justin Gaethje in an interim lightweight title bout, a fight that saw Gaethje move on to challenge Ilia Topuria for the undisputed belt—indeed, a matchup that will unfold at the White House. Now Pimblett, known as “Paddy The Baddy,” is set for another stern test against Saint-Denis, the co-main event of UFC 329 on Saturday, with the card headlined by Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway.
Liverpool’s Pimblett, 31, is generally regarded as the superior grappler, yet Saint-Denis is capable on the ground and possesses significant power, so this bout is expected to push Pimblett’s well-regarded durability to the limit. Some observers had speculated that Pimblett might receive an easier matchup next, but Bisping, who works as a UFC commentator, explained why that simply couldn’t happen. “This is the level Paddy operates in now,” the Briton told The Independent, speaking with prediction-market specialists at casino.org/us. “He’s highly ranked in the lightweight division, and unless you’re going to step back to face someone ranked 10 or 12—which wouldn’t make sense—these are the types of opponents he’s going to encounter going forward. This is the waters he’s swimming in now, and they’re deep waters. If you look at the rankings, it’s Ilia [Topuria] and Justin who are contending for the belt, Arman Tsarukyan is the back-up, Charles Oliveira just beat Max Holloway, and then there’s Benoit and Paddy Pimblett. Max Holloway is set to fight Conor McGregor later in the year, so there isn’t anyone else for Paddy unless you want to go backward and pursue someone like Mateusz Gamrot. Gamrot is dangerous, but he doesn’t carry the kind of profile that Paddy currently deserves. Paddy’s a true superstar—one of those fighters who breaks through to the mainstream and appeals to a younger audience. Paddy’s status as a superstar makes this a matchup that resonates in the sport.”
Saint-Denis, on the other hand, is riding a four-fight stoppage-winning streak, which Bisping noted adds another layer of danger to the contest. “Look, this is a perilous fight for both men, and that is what makes it so compelling,” he said. “Paddy’s last outing against Justin Gaethje showed not only to the world but to himself that he’s got that dog in him. I’ve watched all of Paddy’s fights, and many times he makes it look easy. I wasn’t sure he possessed the grit, tenacity, and toughness to go toe-to-toe with Gaethje for five rounds. He proved those traits against Gaethje, and that resilience is what makes this clash with Saint-Denis so intriguing. Paddy has long displayed the ability to impose his style and pace on opponents, and Saint-Denis will test his limits in a different way with his own dangerous striking and grappling threat.”