UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett reminded the world of why he is one of the sport’s biggest stars after a sensational performance in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
The Liverpool-born lightweight needed less than a minute to submit Benoit Saint-Denis in the co-main event of UFC 329, extending his impressive record with another statement victory.
The 31-year-old has never hidden his love for Liverpool Football Club, regularly speaking about his support for the Reds before and after fights.
Whether he’s walking out with Liverpool-themed attire or discussing football in interviews, Pimblett has built a reputation as one of the club’s most passionate celebrity supporters.
Saturday night’s victory was another memorable chapter in his fighting career, but his post-fight interview quickly became about something far bigger than mixed martial arts.
Rather than simply celebrating his latest triumph inside the Octagon, Pimblett chose to pay tribute to someone who remains deeply missed across the Liverpool community.
Speaking after his victory, Pimblett honoured Diogo Jota and his brother Andre, who tragically died last year, asking Liverpool supporters to join him in singing the Portuguese forward’s famous Anfield chant.
He said: “Can I just say, a week ago today, I mentioned it after my last fight, a week ago last year, I know there’ll be a lot of Liverpool fans who will be able to sing it with me.”
“RIP Diogo Jota and his brother Andre, died last year. All the Liverpool fans sing it with me: ‘Oh he wears the number 20, he will take us to victory, when he’s running down the left wing, he cuts inside and scores for LFC, he’s a lad from Portugal, better than Figo don’t you know, oh his name is Diogo.’”
The emotional tribute was met with a huge response from those in attendance and quickly resonated with Liverpool supporters across social media.
Many have praised Pimblett for using one of the biggest moments of his sporting career to remember the late Diogo Jota.
Although the evening will be remembered for Pimblett’s devastating 52-second submission victory, it was his heartfelt tribute afterwards that ensured Liverpool remained at the centre of the celebrations, underlining once again the strong bond between the city, its sporting icons and the memory of one of the Reds’ most beloved players.
Paddy Pimblett with a lovely tribute to Diogo Jota & Andre after his win tonight. pic.twitter.com/MSBV0GVKuR
— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) July 12, 2026