Liverpool's Paddy Pimblett showcased his grappling prowess by submitting Benoit Saint-Denis in just 52 seconds at UFC 329, reinforcing his bid for a lightweight title shot. The co-main event saw Pimblett expertly stuff a takedown before locking in a guillotine choke, forcing the referee, Marc Goddard, to intervene as Saint-Denis went unconscious on the canvas.

After his swift victory, Pimblett celebrated energetically, paying homage to Diogo Jota, the Liverpool and Portugal winger who tragically passed away in a car accident a year ago. This fight marked Pimblett's return following a defeat against Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title in January. The 31-year-old fighter expressed his determination, stating, "Sub of the year. I'm like a spider. When I've got hold of you, you don't get out and it's as simple as that."

Pimblett's record now stands at 24 wins from 28 fights, with seven of those victories coming by submission. Despite entering the octagon after a loss, he was met with enthusiastic support from a sell-out crowd at T-Mobile Arena, highlighting his value to the UFC.

Earlier in the night, Luke Riley, training alongside Pimblett at Next Generation gym, secured a TKO victory over Kai Kamaka III, extending his record to 14 wins. However, Lone'er Kavanagh faced disappointment, suffering a submission loss to Brandon Royval after initially dropping him in round two, leaving Kavanagh to reassess his path in the flyweight division.