Pimblett's Manager Rips NSAC Over Purse Withhold

Paddy Pimblett's manager has criticized the Nevada State Athletic Commission for withholding his client's UFC 329 purse after the lightweight jumped the cage following his 52-second submission of Benoit Saint Denis.

Graham Boylan told MMA Junkie that the commission froze Pimblett's pay over the cage-jumping violation, which also landed Max Holloway and Gable Steveson in the same position. All three fighters face disciplinary hearings at the NSAC's monthly Las Vegas meeting, according to the outlet.

Manager Calls For Rule Change On Cage Celebrations

Boylan said the NSAC policy serves no purpose in modern competition. "For the record, this rule needs to be changed," he wrote in a text message to MMA Junkie. "Yes, it's the fight game, and systems need to be in play to make it all work, but this rule does nothing to support that. It's 2026. Apply a little common sense."

The amount withheld from Pimblett's disclosed purse remains unclear. Diego Lopes had five thousand dollars of his hundred-thousand-dollar show money frozen for scaling the cage at UFC 300 in April 2024 and was fined twenty-five hundred dollars after his hearing.

Pimblett is 24-4 as a pro and has already called for fights with Ilia Topuria or Arman Tsarukyan. The hearing date has not been announced.

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• BJPenn — Manager blasts NSAC for withholding Paddy Pimblett’s UFC 329 purse: ‘This rule needs to be changed’