Paddy Pimblett faces NSAC hearing after UFC 329 cage climb

Paddy Pimblett faces the Nevada State Athletic Commission in the wake of UFC 329, with his fight purse under threat after he scaled the octagon cage following his submission win over Benoit Saint-Denis. The 31-year-old Scouser defeated the Frenchman in just 52 seconds at the July 11 event, a victory that elevated his lightweight division standing but now triggers a disciplinary review shared with Max Holloway and Gable Steveson. According to multiple outlets, the commission is determining whether a portion of Pimblett's purse will be withheld or turned into a fine for the post-victory celebration.

Daniel Cormier has waded into the controversy, calling the rule prohibiting cage climbing 'the most ridiculous in mixed martial arts.' The UFC Hall of Famer argued that enthusiasm should not be policed, stating it is 'absurd' to force Pimblett, Holloway and Gable Steveson before the commission simply for climbing the top of the Octagon after finishing their opponents. Cormier noted the precedent set at UFC 300, where Diego Lopes had $5,000 withheld from a $100,000 purse, later reduced to a $2,500 fine, suggesting common sense should prevail in Pimblett's case.

Pimblett's victory over Saint-Denis marked his quickest career win, submitting the Frenchman with a modified Peruvian necktie-D'Arce choke just over a minute into the contest. The win snapped a two-fight skid and returned Pimblett to the winner's circle, though he previously lost the UFC Lightweight Championship bout to Justin Gaethje in January. Following the finish, Pimblett called for a rematch with Gaethje, a fight that remains on the table given the division's current landscape. The Liverpudlian also used the post-fight platform to pay tribute to the late Diogo Jota, adding a personal layer to the otherwise technical victory.

The Nevada commission hearing represents the immediate next step for Pimblett, who must now navigate the regulatory fallout of one of the most decisive wins of his career. Whether the punishment materialises or is waived on appeal, the incident has already sparked debate among pundits about the place of celebratory gestures in modern MMA.