Michael Bisping shared his thoughts on the upcoming lightweight clash between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint Denis. The lightweight clash will take place at UFC 329 on Jul. 11.
Both fighters will have a massive opportunity, as the event will be headlined by Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2. There will be plenty of attention on the card as a whole, particularly with McGregor’s involvement. Because of that, Pimblett vs. Saint Denis could have high stakes attached.
If either fighter earns a decisive victory, he could make a strong push toward the title picture. While Saint Denis is a tough matchup for Pimblett, Bisping believes ‘The Baddy’ can draw from the valuable experience he gained against Justin Gaethje.
“Paddy [Pimblett], the last time out against Justin Gaethje, proved not only to the world but to himself that he’s got that dog in him. I’ve seen all of Paddy’s fights, and a lot of the time he goes out there and makes it look easy,” Bisping told Casino.org. “I wasn’t sure if he had that grit, tenacity, toughness, and ability to go toe-to-toe with Justin Gaethje over five rounds. He didn’t get the win but I still think his stock went up in that fight.”
Bisping pointed to Saint Denis’ high-level grappling as something that could possibly pose a threat to Pimblett. However, the former middleweight champion believes the risk is worth the reward.
“It’s a very interesting and compelling matchup, it’s a dangerous fight for both men, but this is the world that Paddy’s in now. He’s highly ranked in the lightweight division,” Bisping said. “Unless you’re going to go backwards and fight someone that’s ranked 10 or 12, which doesn’t make sense, then these are the types of matchups he’s going to have going forward.”
Michael Bisping Not Surprised at Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint-Denis Matchup
Michael Bisping also shared his thoughts on whether Paddy Pimblett should have accepted a fight with Benoit Saint Denis. Pimblett, 31, is coming off his first loss since joining the UFC, so he will aim to bounce back.
‘The Baddy’ is also in a risky position, as a loss would mark his second straight and push him further down the lightweight rankings. However, Pimblett has a lot to gain by fighting Saint-Denis.
Bisping said that Pimblett being matched up with Saint-Denis reflects where he is at in his career.
“When you look at the rankings, it’s Ilia [Topuria] and Justin [Gaethje], Arman Tsarukyan. Charles Oliveira just beat Max Holloway, and then it’s Benoit [Saint-Denis] and Paddy Pimblett,” Bisping told Casino.org. “There’s no one else for him anyway, unless you want to go backwards and find somebody like Mateusz Gamrot. Gamrot is a dangerous guy, but he doesn’t have the kind of profile that Paddy deserves right now.”
Bisping Backs Pimblett as Legitimate UFC Lightweight Contender
Bisping also backed Pimblett as a legitimate UFC lightweight contender. Despite his latest loss to Gaethje, ‘The Count’ believes ‘The Baddy’ has proven to be a massive star.
“Paddy’s a superstar and this is a superstar matchup,” Bisping told Casino.org.
“[Pimblett] just went toe-to-toe with Gaethje over five rounds, so how can you doubt him now? And then before that, he had some ridiculous performances. I mean, Michael Chandler, he beat the brakes off before finishing him,” he said. “As he’s gotten into deep waters, he’s proved himself every time.”
Michael Bisping Shares Honest Take on Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint Denis