Paddy Pimblett says there is no pressure on him this week as he prepares for UFC 329 in Las Vegas. After his loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324, Pimblett is back in action against Benoit Saint Denis, and he believes the setback has only sharpened his focus.
Pimblett had been riding a seven-fight win streak before the defeat, but he said Gaethje’s later performance against Ilia Topuria reinforced where he stands in the division. In his view, that result showed he belongs among the elite lightweight fighters.
No pressure heading into UFC 329
Pimblett said this week feels different from the buildup to his last fight. He admitted that he was unusually nervous before the walkout and even felt like he was going to lose. That experience, though, has changed his mindset heading into this bout.
“Yeah, that’s only pushed me on, losing that fight,” Pimblett said. He also added that this week he feels “no pressure at all,” and that the pressure is now off for him. In another sign of his lighter mindset, he said, “What’s the point of being nervous when you know you’re gonna win?”
What the result could mean
Pimblett also pointed out that he has received more praise for losing to Gaethje than he did for winning seven straight fights. That tells its own story about how the division views the matchup and the level of opponent he faced at UFC 324.
With Conor McGregor also fighting this week, Pimblett joked that all the pressure is on McGregor. For Pimblett, the return at UFC 329 is about getting back on track, showing that the loss did not slow him down, and reasserting himself in the lightweight conversation.
