Paddy Pimblett vs Benoit Saint-Denis UFC 329

Michael Chandler is siding with Paddy Pimblett in one of UFC 329’s key lightweight fights.

Pimblett is matched with Benoit Saint-Denis in Las Vegas, where the bout sits one slot below the main event and carries real weight at 155 pounds. Saint-Denis is the betting favorite, while Pimblett is trying to answer for the Justin Gaethje defeat that cost him a chance at interim gold.

Chandler, who has already fought Pimblett, told TNT Sports he believes the market is underrating the Liverpool fighter. His view is not built on hype around Pimblett’s name. Chandler pointed instead to toughness, composure and the number of routes Pimblett can take once the fight starts.

Paddy Pimblett UFC 329 pick

Chandler’s read on the matchup starts with what Saint-Denis usually brings. The French lightweight does not need a slow feeling-out process to get going, and Chandler expects him to force exchanges early and often. That pressure is part of why the fight is difficult for Pimblett, but Chandler does not see it as enough to make Saint-Denis the smarter pick.Instead, Chandler argued that Pimblett’s game is broader than the public tends to admit. He said Pimblett proved something in the Gaethje fight even though the result went against him. Losing to Gaethje did not erase Pimblett’s place in the division for Chandler; it showed that Pimblett could stay mentally present against a dangerous elite lightweight while the fight was not going his way.

Chandler’s case for Pimblett

Chandler kept the prediction direct. He called Pimblett a tougher competitor than many fans realize, credited his skill set, and said the Brit has more possible paths to victory. The shortest version of the pick came in Chandler’s own words: “Paddy gets the win.”

• Pimblett faces Saint-Denis at UFC 329 in Las Vegas in a major lightweight booking.
• Saint-Denis is favored by oddsmakers, according to the source material.
• Chandler believes Pimblett’s ability range matters more than Saint-Denis’ pace.
• A Pimblett victory would move him back toward the upper end of the 155-pound race.

Lightweight stakes around UFC 329

The fight is also tied to the wider lightweight picture. Pimblett’s last outing was against Gaethje for an interim belt, and Gaethje is now booked opposite Ilia Topuria at UFC White House this weekend. If Topuria beats Gaethje, the long-discussed Topuria-Pimblett rivalry could become far more realistic, provided Pimblett handles Saint-Denis first.Chandler has his own link to the story. Before Saint-Denis was paired with Pimblett, Chandler said he had pushed to face Saint-Denis at UFC White House. He told Hunter Campbell that the matchup fit the card because Saint-Denis is a hard-charging former military man from France and Chandler saw himself as the American counterpart for that kind of collision. The UFC went another direction, and Chandler is now scheduled against Mauricio Ruffy on Sunday.

Chandler goes into the Ruffy fight looking to stop a run of three straight losses. Pimblett and Saint-Denis, meanwhile, meet at UFC 329 with Chandler’s prediction attached to the fight and a possible lightweight climb waiting for the winner.