​Paddy Pimblett remains confident that Benoit Saint-Denis cannot replicate the performance Justin Gaethje delivered against him, a belief rooted in the different levels of danger each opponent represents. Pimblett, who owns a 23-4 record, watched Gaethje, who sits at 28-5, battle for the interim UFC lightweight title in January. Despite Pimblett showing remarkable heart, he absorbed a punishing beatdown and ultimately fell by unanimous decision to Gaethje, otherwise known as “The Highlight.” Pimblett argues that Saint-Denis, who enters their pairing at UFC 329 with a 17-3 mark, does not pose the same threat or danger Gaethje did, and thus will not be able to replicate that kind of performance against him.
The fight is set to serve as the co-main event for UFC 329, scheduled for Saturday, July 11, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Pimblett, affectionately nicknamed “The Baddy,” insists that Saint-Denis has no viable route to victory. He claims that if the action goes to the ground, he willsubmit Saint-Denis with a choke, and if they stay on the feet, Pimblett will KO him. Pimblett is convinced that the game plan Saint-Denis would need to replicate Gaethje’s approach is untenable in practice, given their contrasting styles and levels of experience.
In Pimblett’s view, Gaethje represents a different category of fighter entirely. During a recent interview, he outlined why the Saint-Denis matchup cannot mirror Gaethje’s assault: “I can’t see how he beats me. He’ll try to take me down and get choked, or he’ll stand with me and get knocked out. Justin Gaethje’s a completely different animal from him.” Pimblett added that Saint-Denis simply cannot replicate Gaethje’s performance against him. “Saint-Denis won’t be able to do what Gaethje did. He hasn’t got the cardio to endure that kind of pace, and he doesn’t have the chin. So if he wants to engage in a war like that, I’ll knock his ass out.”
As Pimblett eyes a return to victory, Saint-Denis arrives on a four-fight win streak, with all four wins coming by finish. The momentum tilt favors Saint-Denis in terms of recent results, adding intrigue to their upcoming clash in Las Vegas. Pimblett’s confidence, grounded in his assessment of the two opponents’ different skill sets and athletic profiles, frames this matchup as a clear test of whether Saint-Denis can alter the trajectory of his own rise in the lightweight division. The question for fans and pundits alike is whether Pimblett’s conviction will hold true under the bright lights of UFC 329, or if Saint-Denis can defy the odds and prove that Gaethje’s performance was more about that night’s circumstances than about a universal limit on Saint-Denis’ own capabilities.