UFC 329: McGregor Returns, Finishes Spark Debate
Conor McGregor Headlines UFC 329 Return; Pimblett Submits Saint-Denis Amidst Referee Stoppage Controversy
Key Points
Saint-Denis is described as a former French Army Special Forces soldier, adding a notable military backstory to Pimblett’s win; Pimblett finished Denis at 0:52 of the first round after a guillotine transition into a darce.
The UFC 329 undercard featured several notable finishes before Pimblett’s fight, including King Green and Brandon Royval securing finishes over Terrance McKinney and Lone'er Kavanagh, and Mario Bautista defeating Cory Sandhagen in a rematch.
The event built around Conor McGregor’s return with a rematch against Max Holloway, and pre-fight hype included viral verbal jabs between the two.
There was a notable stoppage-time discrepancy in Luke Riley’s win over Kai Kamaka III—reported times ranged from about two minutes to roughly three minutes—prompting broader discussion about officiating on the card.
Paddy Pimblett choked out Benoit Saint-Denis in just 52 seconds at UFC 329, stunning the crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas karlobag.eu. The lightning-fast finish — a guillotine transition into a D'Arce choke — came in the co-main event, setting the stage for Conor McGregor's highly anticipated return against Max Holloway si.com.
The win was a major bounce-back for Pimblett, who had lost to Justin Gaethje earlier in the year irishstar.com. Saint-Denis came in ranked No. 5 in the lightweight division with a four-fight finishing streak, making the quick stoppage all the more impressive.
Pimblett's 52-Second Choke Shocks the Lightweight Division
Saint-Denis, a former French Army Special Forces soldier, came in as one of the division's most dangerous finishers. Pimblett changed that story fast. He secured a D'Arce choke — a move that wraps the arm around the neck to cut off blood flow — and put Saint-Denis to sleep at the 0:52 mark of round one boxingnews.com.
The finish was one of the fastest and most decisive wins of Pimblett's UFC career karlobag.eu. It moved him back into the lightweight title conversation after the Gaethje setback. He now sits around No. 9 in the division, with a clear path toward a future title shot if he keeps winning lasvegasrealestatereview.com.
McGregor Returns, Holloway Rematch Headlines a Star-Studded Card
UFC 329 was built around one name: Conor McGregor. The former two-division champion returned to face Max Holloway in a rematch that had been hyped for weeks si.com. Pre-fight verbal jabs between the two went viral, drawing massive attention to the card well before fight night.
Pimblett's fast finish made his co-main slot feel like a headline moment in its own right. The card delivered back-to-back big finishes, keeping fans locked in from the early undercard all the way through McGregor's walkout lasvegasrealestatereview.com.
Riley's KO and a Night of Referee Controversies
Luke Riley stopped Kai Kamaka III inside two minutes, extending his unbeaten record to 14-0. But the win sparked an argument. Commentator Joe Rogan called the stoppage too early, saying Kamaka had not been given enough time to defend himself. Reports on the exact finish time ranged from about two minutes to roughly three, adding to the confusion.
The Kamaka stoppage was not the only one questioned on the night. Rogan voiced doubt about at least one other finish on the card, and fans echoed those concerns online. The debate over referee judgment became one of the loudest post-fight talking points from UFC 329 irishstar.com.
Undercard Finishes Pile Up Before Pimblett's Big Moment
The prelims and early main card set an aggressive pace. King Green and Brandon Royval both earned finishes, beating Terrance McKinney and Lone'er Kavanagh respectively lasvegasrealestatereview.com. Mario Bautista also picked up a notable win, defeating Cory Sandhagen in a rematch.
By the time Pimblett stepped in against Saint-Denis, the crowd had already seen several quick, violent finishes. His 52-second submission capped a run of knockouts and chokes that made UFC 329 one of the most finish-heavy cards of the year karlobag.eu.
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