by Jazz Ray
Friday, Jul 03, 2026UFC 329 takes place July 11th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The most anticipated fight is a rematch between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway, which I've previewed here: https://www.bigal.com/articles/the-mac-is-back-mcgregor-holloway-preview-and-pick. That's not the only exciting fight on the stacked card though. Let's take a look at a few of the other marquee matchups.
Co-Main Event: Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett vs. Benoit "God of War" Saint-Denis
Paddy Pimblett (23-4) faces Benoit Saint-Denis (17-3) in the co-main event of UFC 329. With one week to go, Saint-Denis is the betting favorite at -150 to -160, while the Over/Under is set at 2.5 rounds, with the Under priced between -155 and -170. The 31-year-old Pimblett, the pride of Liverpool, is coming off his first UFC loss, a five-round unanimous decision to Justin Gaethje in January, which ended his nine-fight win streak. French fighter Saint-Denis, 30, has won four in a row, most recently stopping Dan Hooker via second-round TKO in January. Pimblett brings elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, sneaky striking with sharp timing, and dangerous submission skills from unorthodox positions. However, he can be hittable and showed stamina concerns against Gaethje. Saint-Denis is a high-pressure finisher who has stopped all 17 of the opponents (11 submissions, 6 KOs/TKOs) which he defeated. While Paddy has never been knocked out, two of Saint-Denis’ three losses came by KO/TKO.
The Pick: Under 2.5 Rounds
In my opinion, this is the only way to play the total, even laying some extra juice. All 17 of Saint-Denis’ wins ended inside the distance, and 19 of his 20 pro fights have been finishes. He hasn’t gone the distance in five years. Although Pimblett went five rounds with Gaethje, 7 of his last 10 bouts ended in a finish (six in Rounds 1 or 2). Expect a stoppage here.
The Upset: Mario Bautista vs. Cory Sandhagen
UFC 329 also features a rematch between two American fighters, Mario Bautista and Cory Sandhagen from their 2019 fight (which Sandhagen won via first-round armbar when Bautista was raw and on short notice). The 33-year-old Bautista (17-3) is 9-1 in his last 10 fights, with his only loss coming to top contender Umar Nurmagomedov. Despite this, the 34-year-old Sandhagen (18-6) enters as the -155 favorite. Sandhagen has dropped two of his last three and sits at 4-4 in his last eight, with all losses against elite opposition. He hasn’t fought since losing to Merab Dvalishvili in October 2025, while Bautista scored a recent win over Vinicius Oliveira in February.
The Pick: Mario Bautista
Bautista is the more complete fighter now. He’s developed into a well-rounded threat with strong wrestling, top control, and submission ability. He plans to press early and hunt a finish by exploiting Sandhagen’s weaknesses on the mat. Bautista also offers superior volume (5.3 significant strikes per minute vs. Sandhagen’s 4.9), clean boxing, and constant forward pressure. While Sandhagen is technically sharp, Bautista’s output, timing, and confidence should make this a tough night for him. Bautista gets his revenge and provides strong value as the underdog.
The Mismatch: Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov
Robert Whittaker enters as a roughly 2-1 favorite against Ukranian fighter Nikita Krylov. Now 35 years old, the Australian (26-9) is coming off back-to-back losses. However, the first loss was against Khamzat Chimaev (who was considered nearly unbeatable before his upset loss to Strickland), and the second was a very close split decision against high-level fighter Reinier de Ridder. The 34-year-old Krylov (31-11) is a tough veteran, but he’s clearly a step below both Chimaev and de Ridder in terms of elite competition. Whittaker, known for his professionalism and preparation, will capitalize on this favorable matchup. Krylov earned a win over Bukauskas in January but had lost his two previous fights. Whittaker remains one of the UFC’s elite technical strikers. He blends a strong karate base with sharp boxing, outstanding distance control, and elite fight IQ. He consistently throws high-volume, accurate strikes with crisp footwork. While Krylov possesses legitimate power, he’s noticeably less technical and more hittable. Unless Krylov can secure an early stoppage, which is unlikely, Whittaker will outstrike and outmaneuver him over the course of the fight.
The Pick: Robert Whittaker
Lay the juice with the favorite, as Whittaker will serve notice that he isn't done yet. Whittaker wins by unanimous decision or a late TKO, controlling the fight with volume and superior technique.
Co-Main Event: Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett vs. Benoit "God of War" Saint-Denis
Paddy Pimblett (23-4) faces Benoit Saint-Denis (17-3) in the co-main event of UFC 329. With one week to go, Saint-Denis is the betting favorite at -150 to -160, while the Over/Under is set at 2.5 rounds, with the Under priced between -155 and -170. The 31-year-old Pimblett, the pride of Liverpool, is coming off his first UFC loss, a five-round unanimous decision to Justin Gaethje in January, which ended his nine-fight win streak. French fighter Saint-Denis, 30, has won four in a row, most recently stopping Dan Hooker via second-round TKO in January. Pimblett brings elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, sneaky striking with sharp timing, and dangerous submission skills from unorthodox positions. However, he can be hittable and showed stamina concerns against Gaethje. Saint-Denis is a high-pressure finisher who has stopped all 17 of the opponents (11 submissions, 6 KOs/TKOs) which he defeated. While Paddy has never been knocked out, two of Saint-Denis’ three losses came by KO/TKO.
The Pick: Under 2.5 Rounds
In my opinion, this is the only way to play the total, even laying some extra juice. All 17 of Saint-Denis’ wins ended inside the distance, and 19 of his 20 pro fights have been finishes. He hasn’t gone the distance in five years. Although Pimblett went five rounds with Gaethje, 7 of his last 10 bouts ended in a finish (six in Rounds 1 or 2). Expect a stoppage here.
The Upset: Mario Bautista vs. Cory Sandhagen
UFC 329 also features a rematch between two American fighters, Mario Bautista and Cory Sandhagen from their 2019 fight (which Sandhagen won via first-round armbar when Bautista was raw and on short notice). The 33-year-old Bautista (17-3) is 9-1 in his last 10 fights, with his only loss coming to top contender Umar Nurmagomedov. Despite this, the 34-year-old Sandhagen (18-6) enters as the -155 favorite. Sandhagen has dropped two of his last three and sits at 4-4 in his last eight, with all losses against elite opposition. He hasn’t fought since losing to Merab Dvalishvili in October 2025, while Bautista scored a recent win over Vinicius Oliveira in February.
The Pick: Mario Bautista
Bautista is the more complete fighter now. He’s developed into a well-rounded threat with strong wrestling, top control, and submission ability. He plans to press early and hunt a finish by exploiting Sandhagen’s weaknesses on the mat. Bautista also offers superior volume (5.3 significant strikes per minute vs. Sandhagen’s 4.9), clean boxing, and constant forward pressure. While Sandhagen is technically sharp, Bautista’s output, timing, and confidence should make this a tough night for him. Bautista gets his revenge and provides strong value as the underdog.
The Mismatch: Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov
Robert Whittaker enters as a roughly 2-1 favorite against Ukranian fighter Nikita Krylov. Now 35 years old, the Australian (26-9) is coming off back-to-back losses. However, the first loss was against Khamzat Chimaev (who was considered nearly unbeatable before his upset loss to Strickland), and the second was a very close split decision against high-level fighter Reinier de Ridder. The 34-year-old Krylov (31-11) is a tough veteran, but he’s clearly a step below both Chimaev and de Ridder in terms of elite competition. Whittaker, known for his professionalism and preparation, will capitalize on this favorable matchup. Krylov earned a win over Bukauskas in January but had lost his two previous fights. Whittaker remains one of the UFC’s elite technical strikers. He blends a strong karate base with sharp boxing, outstanding distance control, and elite fight IQ. He consistently throws high-volume, accurate strikes with crisp footwork. While Krylov possesses legitimate power, he’s noticeably less technical and more hittable. Unless Krylov can secure an early stoppage, which is unlikely, Whittaker will outstrike and outmaneuver him over the course of the fight.
The Pick: Robert Whittaker
Lay the juice with the favorite, as Whittaker will serve notice that he isn't done yet. Whittaker wins by unanimous decision or a late TKO, controlling the fight with volume and superior technique.
