Paddy Pimblett explains UFC 329 choke that put Saint Denis to sleep

Paddy Pimblett choked Benoit Saint Denis unconscious at UFC 329 with a submission he says he had never attempted before in competition.

The Liverpool lightweight put Saint Denis to sleep 52 seconds into the first round Saturday, locking up a hybrid D'Arce choke that folded the Frenchman after a takedown attempt went wrong. It marked the first time Saint Denis had lost by submission in his career, per MMA Fighting.

Pimblett drilled Peruvian necktie for first time in decade

Pimblett told reporters after the fight that the finish combined elements of a D'Arce and a Peruvian necktie, the latter being a move he had only started drilling again five weeks before UFC 329. "I literally drilled a Peruvian necktie for the first time in about 10 years about five weeks ago with my coach," he said, according to MMA Fighting. "That's just how good my jiu-jitsu is. I can link things together like that flawlessly."

The Scouser said his corner warned him not to burn his arms out, but he knew the choke was locked in tight. Saint Denis had entered the fight with a reputation for guillotine defense, so Pimblett and his team prepared alternate attacks around that position. The result used all of Pimblett's limbs and left Saint Denis asleep on the canvas. "I've never done that before," Pimblett said. "I just did that on the fly."

UFC CEO Dana White said at the post-fight press conference that his social media team reported Pimblett gained two million followers in the hours after his January loss to Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324. The reception Saturday in Las Vegas felt like a world champion's entrance, White noted, and the quick finish only added to the momentum. "What a nasty choke he put on him," White said. "Incredible performance for as short as it was."

Pimblett now holds arguably the biggest win of his UFC run. No timetable has been announced for his next appearance.

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Paddy Pimblett breaks down incredible UFC 329 submission: ‘I’ve never done that before’ | MMA Fighting