Paddy Pimblett is wasting no time getting back to work. The popular Liverpool lightweight has kicked off his training camp earlier than planned as he prepares for what promises to be a pivotal return to the Octagon at UFC 329.
Scheduled for International Fight Week this July, the event already has three bouts confirmed—and Pimblett has made it clear he'll be part of the action. While an official opponent hasn't been named, "The Baddy" has hinted that French contender Benoit Saint-Denis could be the man standing across from him.
In a candid update shared on his YouTube channel, Pimblett opened up about where he's at physically as camp begins. The video, filmed at his Liverpool gym a week earlier, featured him hosting former UFC fighter Dong Hyun Kim. But the real takeaway came when Pimblett got honest about his current condition.
"Still feel like I'm getting back into it," he admitted. "I don't feel as sharp as I need to be. That's just why we've started camp a bit earlier. Still got a couple of little niggles, couple of injuries. So, hopefully [over] the next few weeks, they go down and I can focus more on my training."
It's a smart move from a fighter who learned some hard lessons in his last outing. At UFC 299 in January, Justin Gaethje landed a staggering 144 significant strikes on Pimblett—just 52 fewer than the Liverpudlian had absorbed in his previous seven UFC fights combined. That defeat, his first in the promotion, served as a wake-up call.
Despite the damage, Pimblett didn't take much time off. He returned to training soon after the loss, noting that any lingering discomfort came from eye pokes during the fight rather than serious injuries. Now, with a fresh camp underway and a potential showdown with the dangerous Saint-Denis on the horizon, all eyes will be on how "The Baddy" sharpens up over the coming weeks.
For fans and fellow fighters alike, the message is clear: Pimblett is taking no chances this time around. Whether he's nursing minor injuries or simply shaking off ring rust, starting camp early shows he's serious about bouncing back in style.