Paddy Pimblett Reflects on Career After Victory Over Saint-Denis

Paddy Pimblett revealed that he would have contemplated retirement had he lost to Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 329 last weekend. The 31-year-old fighter secured a quick victory, submitting Saint-Denis in just 52 seconds during their lightweight bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Following the win, which marked his 24th victory in 28 fights, Pimblett shared his thoughts on the fight's significance. He mentioned a conversation with his coach, Paul Rimmer, where he expressed doubts about his future in the sport if he could not defeat Saint-Denis. Pimblett stated, "If I can’t beat BSD I’m never going to be world champ, and that’s what I do this for. I do this to be the best in the world."

Pimblett's victory comes after a setback against Justin Gaethje for the interim title earlier this year. Gaethje's recent win over Ilia Topuria has reignited interest in a potential rematch between the two fighters. Pimblett noted that Gaethje's success served as motivation during his training camp leading up to the fight.

With this latest win, Pimblett has climbed to fifth in the UFC lightweight rankings, while Saint-Denis has dropped to eighth. Despite the excitement surrounding a possible rematch with Gaethje, several other fighters are also in contention for a title shot, including Arman Tsarukyan and former champion Charles Oliveira, both of whom are on winning streaks.