TLDR
- Paddy Pimblett defeated Benoit Saint Denis via D’Arce choke in just 52 seconds at UFC 329
- Saint Denis was caught in the submission immediately after shooting for an early takedown
- The finish marks the second-fastest D’Arce choke in UFC history
- Pimblett bounced back from his first UFC loss to Justin Gaethje in January
- Saint Denis suffered the first submission loss of his career
Sources: sports.yahoo.com | bleacherreport.com
Paddy Pimblett needed less than a minute to finish Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The Liverpool fighter secured a D’Arce choke submission at just 52 seconds of the first round in the co-main event.
Saint Denis made an early mistake that cost him the fight. He shot for a takedown right away and was immediately caught in Pimblett’s choke.
Pimblett quickly adjusted his position and sat down on the canvas while maintaining the hold. Saint Denis tried to escape but lost consciousness instead.
Historic Speed for Submission Finish
The submission ranks as the second-fastest D’Arce choke in UFC history. Pimblett’s walkout to the octagon may have lasted longer than the actual fight.
The victory improved Pimblett’s record to 24-4 overall and 8-1 in the UFC. He bounced back from his first loss in the promotion, which came in January against Justin Gaethje.
That loss snapped a nine-fight winning streak for Pimblett. The 31-year-old had challenged Gaethje for the interim lightweight title in that bout.
UNDER A MINUTE 🤯@PaddyTheBaddy secures the lightning-fast RD1 submission victory in 52 seconds!
[ #UFC329 is LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/yRPOEdMrYR
— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2026
Gaethje went on to capture the undisputed lightweight championship in June with a win over Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250. This made Pimblett’s loss look less damaging in retrospect.
Saint Denis Streak Comes to End
Saint Denis suffered the first submission loss of his career. The 30-year-old French fighter had his four-fight winning streak snapped.
His record now stands at 17-4 overall and 9-4 in the UFC. He had never been submitted before in his professional mixed martial arts career.
After the fight, Pimblett spoke about his plans for the future. He told UFC.com that he believes the win puts him back in title contention.
“As soon as I beat BSD, I’m back in title contention,” Pimblett said. “I had a good fight with the champion. People don’t say it was close, but I think I lost 3-2.”
Pimblett wants to face another top-ranked opponent next. He mentioned several possible fights, including a matchup with current champion Ilia Topuria.
“Beat (Saint Denis), and then it’s whoever else is ranked above me,” he said. “Everyone wants to see me fight Ilia (Topuria) – I’d love to beat the poor little (man) up.”
Topuria is also coming off a loss to Gaethje. A fight between the two would give both fighters a chance to work their way back toward another title shot.
Mario Bautista Destroys Sandhagen’s Leg in Stunning UFC 329 Victory
The UFC 329 card featured several other finishes. Gable Steveson won his UFC debut with a first-round knockout, while King Green earned a performance bonus for his victory.
Pimblett also received a performance bonus for his quick submission win. The finish generated a huge reaction from the Las Vegas crowd, who had given him a loud reception during his walkout.
Saint Denis will now need to regroup after suffering his first submission defeat. His aggressive style had served him well during his winning streak, but it led to his downfall against Pimblett’s grappling skills.
