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Paddy Pimblett: Saint-Denis Not On My Level

Paddy Pimblett dismisses Benoit Saint-Denis's skill level ahead of their UFC 329 bout, while Max Holloway eyes more than just a win.

Paddy Pimblett: Saint-Denis Not On My Level

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UFC 329 is shaping up to be a wild one, with some big names making headlines even before they step into the octagon. From confident call-outs to strategic fight plans, there’s plenty to unpack as we look ahead to the highly anticipated event.

Pimblett’s Bold Claims

Paddy Pimblett isn’t shy about his opinions, especially when it comes to his upcoming opponent, Benoit Saint-Denis. Pimblett has stated that Saint-Denis isn’t on his level, despite acknowledging Saint-Denis’s aggressive style. He even compared Saint-Denis’s skillset to that of Justin Gaethje, known for his relentless pressure. Pimblett’s confidence is high, and he’s not backing down from making some bold statements ahead of their clash at UFC 329.

Saint-Denis Addresses Concerns

Benoit Saint-Denis, meanwhile, has been dealing with some pre-fight chatter of his own. There were concerns circulating about a potential staph infection, which Saint-Denis quickly shut down. He clarified that what people were seeing was just a scab, dismissing the ‘ridiculous’ rumors. It seems Saint-Denis is focused on the fight itself and isn’t letting outside noise distract him from his preparation for UFC 329.

Holloway’s High Stakes

Max Holloway is heading into his UFC 329 rematch against Conor McGregor with a clear goal: winning isn’t enough. Holloway has expressed that he needs to deliver a dominant performance, aiming for a finish to truly solidify his position. This mindset suggests he’s looking to make a statement beyond just securing a victory, which adds another layer of excitement to what’s already a highly anticipated main event. The odds currently favor Holloway in this long-awaited rematch.

Coaches Weigh In on Matchups

The matchups at UFC 329 are generating a lot of discussion among coaches. One legendary coach has argued that the fight between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis shouldn’t even be happening, though the reasons for this sentiment weren’t fully detailed. Separately, Jose Aldo’s coach offered some unique advice, suggesting fans bet on something other than picking a winner for the main event, hinting at the unpredictable nature of the card. These insights from seasoned professionals highlight the competitive and often surprising dynamics of MMA.

Bautista Expects a Different Fight

Mario Bautista is also looking forward to a significant challenge at UFC 329, as he prepares to face Cory Sandhagen. Bautista expects a ‘completely different fight’ compared to what fans might anticipate, suggesting he’s made adjustments and is ready for whatever Sandhagen brings. This bout is one of several big matchups added to the card as the UFC returns to Sacramento, promising an action-packed event for fight fans.

From the community

Over on r/MMA, fans are talking about this: Paddy Pimblett doesn’t think Ilia Topuria will ever be the same: “Ilia’s never had to come back from adversity. Ilia’s only ever been the hammer, he’s never been the nail.” “I’d happily be his first fight back.”.

Sources

Every source behind today's roundup (14)

We summarize the day’s news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work:

Open Scoring MMA is a daily AI-produced MMA and UFC news podcast. Listen to today’s episode, read the full Feed, or get every episode by email.

Episode transcript

Read the full episode transcript

Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. This is episode 19 for July 8, 2026, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC.

Paddy Pimblett is making some serious waves ahead of UFC 329, telling everyone that Benoit Saint-Denis just isn’t on his level. Now, this is a bold statement from our man Paddy, especially considering he’s reportedly looking to bounce back from his first octagon loss. Word is he’s facing Benoit Saint-Denis in the co-main event this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. You gotta love the confidence from The Baddy, always ready to stir the pot and get people talking. He even compared Saint-Denis’ skillset to Gaethje’s, saying he’s confident Saint-Denis can’t fight him the way Gaethje did. That’s a direct shot, and it shows Paddy’s mindset going into this crucial fight. He’s not just fighting Saint-Denis; he’s fighting the ghost of that Gaethje loss, and he’s doing it with his usual swagger. This is exactly what we want to see from a fighter like Paddy, a little bit of trash talk, a lot of confidence, and a burning desire to prove himself. It’s going to be a must-watch co-main event, no doubt about it.

And let’s not forget, this is the same Paddy Pimblett who recently collected a cool one thousand dollars from Daniel Cormier after winning a World Cup bet. Cormier’s national team crashed out, and Paddy cashed in. It just goes to show you, The Baddy is always finding ways to win, whether it’s in the cage or on the soccer pitch. He’s got that competitive fire in everything he does, and that’s why we love him.

Now, moving on to the main event of UFC 329, we’ve got the highly anticipated rematch between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway. Sherdog reported that Holloway is favored over McGregor in this long-awaited second dance. While there aren’t any title bouts on this card, it’s absolutely loaded with pivotal and closely contested matchups. Max Holloway himself believes this headliner is the perfect opportunity to remind fans why he remains one of the sport’s biggest stars. He’s not just looking for a win; he’s looking to make a statement, to put on a performance that solidifies his place at the top. And Jose Aldo’s longtime coach, Andre Pederneiras, even weighed in, saying forget picking a winner, just bet on the fight itself to be a classic. That’s high praise from a legendary coach, and it speaks volumes about the kind of war we can expect between these two legends.

In other fight news, Mario Bautista is gearing up for a ‘completely different fight’ against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 329. He’s got a chance to settle the score with Sandhagen, and he’s been talking about how this rematch will contrast with their first bout. It’s always interesting to hear a fighter’s perspective on a rematch, especially when they’ve had time to analyze what went wrong and how they can improve. Bautista is clearly confident he’s made the adjustments needed to get the win this time around.

Looking ahead, the UFC is also adding some big matchups as it returns to Sacramento. Sherdog reported that new matchups have been revealed for that card, which is always exciting. It’s great to see the UFC spreading the love and bringing high-level action to different cities. Keep an eye out for those fight announcements; Sacramento always brings a passionate crowd, and they deserve a stacked card.

Now, for our OSM Pick of the day. Our system has crunched the numbers for the fight between Levan Chokheli and Leon Shahbazyan. The betting line has Chokheli at minus three hundred fifty-five and Shahbazyan at plus three hundred ten. Our model is picking Levan Chokheli to win, with about an eighty-two percent chance, which is higher than the seventy-six percent implied by the betting line. We’re seeing some real value there. The top reasons for our pick are that form heavily favors Chokheli, and his finishing ability is also a significant advantage. This is a strong confidence pick for us, and we like it even more than the market does.

That’s all for today’s Open Scoring MMA. We’ll be back tomorrow with more news and analysis, so make sure you tune in.

Before you go, two quick things. Check out our free Fight Tracker at tracker dot open scoring m m a dot com, with every upcoming UFC and PFL card, live odds, and where to watch, all in one place. And follow us on YouTube, just search Open Scoring MMA, for breaking news alerts, fight breakdowns, and videos you won’t get here on the feed. That’s it for today’s Open Scoring MMA. Keep your hands up, and we’ll see you next time.