Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint Denis booked for UFC 329

Paddy Pimblett is set to bounce back from the first loss of his UFC career as he faces surging lightweight contender Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329.

After coming up short in his bid for the interim title against Justin Gaethje in January, Pimblett (23-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) returns to action against Saint Denis (17-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).

The matchup was confirmed to MMA Junkie by a source familiar with the booking, following an initial report from French outlet La Sueur.

Ranked No. 9 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight standings, Pimblett showed remarkable toughness in his clash with Gaethje but ultimately failed to do enough damage to secure the victory. While many analysts called for a longer recovery period after the punishment he absorbed, the 31-year-old is set to return less than six months later, aiming to reinsert himself into the title conversation.

Standing in his way is No. 7-ranked Saint Denis, who has regained momentum in impressive fashion. After back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano in 2024, the 30-year-old Frenchman has rebounded with four consecutive stoppage victories, including wins over ranked opponents Dan Hooker, Beneil Dariush, and Mauricio Ruffy.

The current UFC 329 lineup includes:

Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint Denis

Mario Bautista vs. Cory Sandhagen

Cesar Almeida vs. Damian Pinas

Ryan Gandra vs. Zach Reese

Gable Steveson vs. opponent TBA