​Michael Page believes Paddy Pimblett will face his sternest test to date at UFC 329. Pimblett, carrying a 23-4 MMA record with a 7-1 mark inside the Octagon, is scheduled to collide with Benoit Saint Denis, who sits at 17-3 in MMA with a 9-3 UFC record, in the lightweight co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The bout will stream on Paramount+. Pimblett is coming off an interim title defeat at UFC 324 against Justin Gaethje. Despite being a slight underdog, Pimblett faces a formidable challenge in Saint Denis, a matchup that Page believes could be the most difficult of Pimblett’s career but one that could propel him back into the title conversation.
“If Paddy can beat Benoit, he unquestionably deserves a shot against Ilia Topuria,” Page told Thunderpick in a recent interview. “I was impressed by how he handled the Gaethje fight because he absorbed punishment and kept getting back up, continuing to fight. That endurance earned him a lot more respect from me.”
Saint Denis represents a different type of challenge, yet Page is confident Pimblett can win. Still, he considers Saint Denis his toughest test, potentially tougher than Gaethje. If Pimblett emerges victorious, Page believes he would be a strong candidate to test the sport’s elite, with Topuria among the top contenders. He even mentioned the possibility of Pimblett earning a rematch with Gaethje later, but now with the belt on the line.
Page also outlined the key concerns surrounding Pimblett’s path to victory, while not discounting his chances to win. He noted Pimblett’s prowess on the ground, particularly his jiu-jitsu off the takedowns, as a potential edge against Saint Denis. However, Page cautioned that Saint Denis’ strength in ground-and-pound and his own jiu-jitsu could counter that advantage. He described Saint Denis as a pressure fighter who sits in the pocket, where Pimblett is vulnerable to heavy strikes.
“Saint Denis could pose a few problems for Paddy with his posture and his ability to impose his own ground game,” Page said. “I feel like Saint Denis is a bit of a powerhouse in the pocket, and Paddy tends to take some heavy shots.”
Another area of concern for Page is Pimblett’s tendency to rely on his chin, which Page believes is a fragile long-term defense. He warned that a fighter who relies on their chin risks losing that asset, noting that a fighter should have multiple layers of defensive strategy—first, second, and third lines of defense—before it even reaches the chin.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie, with the headline noting that Michael Page believes Saint Denis poses an even harder challenge for Pimblett than Gaethje did, a claim intended to reinforce the credibility of Pimblett’s potential and the fight’s anticipated difficulty. The report emphasizes the belief that Pimblett’s path to a title shot hinges on defeating Saint Denis and then continuing to prove himself against the sport’s top contenders. Page’s insights add depth to the widely watched matchup, underscoring the precarious balance Pimblett must strike between offensive firepower and defensive resilience as he navigates a division crowded with elite lightweights.