Pimblett: 'I had to tell the referee Saint-Denis was unconscious'

Paddy Pimblett says he alerted the referee to Benoit Saint-Denis being out cold during their UFC 329 lightweight bout, which ended in a first-round submission.

“I knew he was out. I had to say [to the referee], 'He's unconscious, lad.' I told everyone all week he was going to shoot in, and I was going to choke his a-- unconscious. And my man was face down eating canvas.”

— Paddy Pimblett, via ESPN

What Paddy Pimblett said

Pimblett secured a rear-naked choke finish against Saint-Denis on the main card in Paris. The Liverpool fighter entered the 155 lb contest promising a quick submission victory and delivered on his prediction inside the opening frame.

What it moves

The finish marks Pimblett's biggest win at lightweight and positions him for a ranked opponent next. Saint-Denis, a former contender, will need to regroup after the one-sided defeat.

Source: espn.com. Full Paddy Pimblett fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.