Paddy Pimblett finished Benoit Saint Denis in the opening round at UFC 329 with a choke he had never drilled before, then used the post-fight microphone to call out former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
Reviewed by BJJ Gyms · Updated 2026-07-27
Sources: Yardbarker and Cageside Press, July 2026.
Paddy Pimblett needed less than a full round to finish Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event of UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas. Saint Denis, a wrestler by trade who built his reputation on takedowns and top control, shot early looking to establish position, and Pimblett met the attempt by wrapping around the neck rather than defending the shot in a conventional way.
The finish came together fast enough that even Pimblett admitted afterward he had not drilled that exact sequence. He described the choke as a combination of two recognizable submissions rather than a single textbook technique, which is exactly the kind of improvisation that separates a black belt from someone who has only memorized a handful of set finishes.
Both the d'arce choke and the Peruvian necktie come from the same family of front headlock submissions, where an arm wraps around the neck and traps one of the opponent's arms against their own throat to cut off blood flow. The d'arce typically finishes with the choking arm looping under the near arm and around the neck from a side position, while the Peruvian necktie usually involves stepping over the opponent's head and finishing with a figure-four style grip while controlling the far leg.
Blending elements of both makes mechanical sense once you understand what each choke is actually doing to the blood vessels in the neck. A grappler who has drilled both positions enough times can recognize a hybrid opportunity mid-scramble even if they have never practiced that specific combination in the gym. That is the difference between pattern matching a known technique and actually understanding the underlying pressure and angle that makes a choke work in the first place.
Pimblett earned his BJJ black belt training under John Kavanagh at SBG Ireland, a program that has produced multiple world-level grapplers and MMA competitors. His willingness to invite grappling exchanges rather than avoid them has been a consistent feature of his UFC run, and the Saint Denis finish is another data point in a career built on submission threats that opponents often underestimate until it is too late.
Calling his own jiu-jitsu the best in the world is a bold statement in a sport full of BJJ black belts, but Pimblett has now backed it up on one of the biggest stages the UFC offers. Finishing a dangerous wrestler like Saint Denis with an improvised choke, rather than a rehearsed sequence, is the kind of performance that earns credibility inside the room, not just headlines outside it.
With the win in hand, Pimblett used his post-fight platform to push toward the top of the lightweight division, naming former champion Charles Oliveira, current title holder Ilia Topuria, and surging contender Arman Tsarukyan as potential next opponents. Any of those three would represent a significant step up in name value and put Pimblett firmly in title contention conversations.
For fans who watched that finish and felt the itch to try grappling themselves, this is exactly the kind of moment that makes jiu-jitsu worth learning firsthand rather than just watching. Chokes like the d'arce and the Peruvian necktie are taught at BJJ gyms everywhere, and 10th Planet's no-gi curriculum in particular spends real time on front headlock attacks. Use the gym finder at BJJGyms.org to find a school near you and try a free intro class.
Pimblett's finish blended two techniques from the same submission family. Here are five related chokes and what makes each one distinct.
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A d'arce choke is a front headlock submission where the attacking grappler threads an arm under the opponent's near arm and around the neck, cutting off blood flow from a side position.
The Peruvian necktie is a submission where the attacker steps over the opponent's head and finishes with a figure-four style grip while controlling one leg, a technique popularized in no-gi grappling.
Yes. Pimblett earned his black belt under coach John Kavanagh at SBG Ireland, a program known for developing high-level BJJ and MMA competitors.
After his UFC 329 win, Pimblett named Charles Oliveira, Ilia Topuria, and Arman Tsarukyan as potential next opponents, though no fight has been officially booked.