Joel Alvarez and Benoit Saint Denis have started a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, under coach Nicolas Otta. The two were scheduled to fight each other a year ago, but the bout fell through. Now they are helping each other prepare for their next fights. Alvarez will face Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9, while Saint Denis does not yet have a fight announced. Alvarez revealed that Saint Denis reached out to arrange the camp and suggested he may be preparing for an opponent with a similar style to Alvarez, though no opponent was named.
Joel Alvarez and Benoit Saint Denis have joined forces for a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, working under coach Nicolas Otta as both lightweights gear up for their respective next bouts.
Alvarez, known as "El Fenomeno," enters the camp carrying a 23-4 record and sitting ranked 12th in the lightweight division. The 33-year-old Spaniard stands six-foot-three with a 77-inch reach and is one of the more active strikers in the division, landing 4.78 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. He also averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, underlining the finishing threat he brings to every fight. Alvarez is scheduled to face Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9.
Amosov, the 32-year-old with an imposing 30-1 record, presents a sharp stylistic challenge. He averages 4.64 takedowns per 15 minutes and an extraordinary 4.6 submission attempts in the same window, making him one of the most relentless grapplers on the roster.
Saint Denis, ranked ninth at lightweight and nicknamed "God of War," holds a 17-3 record and brings elite physical tools of his own. The 30-year-old southpaw averages 5.62 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy and couples that output with 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes — a genuinely rare combination of volume striking and wrestling. No opponent has been announced for his next appearance.
The pairing carries an added layer of intrigue. The two were originally booked to fight each other roughly a year ago before that bout fell apart. Alvarez noted that Saint Denis was the one who reached out to organize the camp, and suggested his French training partner may be preparing for someone whose style resembles his own — though no name was put forward.
Why it matters
- Alvarez faces a high-level submission specialist in Amosov, making camp specificity critical
- Saint Denis's unannounced opponent potentially shares stylistic traits with Alvarez, hinting at the division's upper tier
- A win for Alvarez at UFC 328 could push him toward the top ten in a stacked lightweight landscape
Saturday, May 9, 2026
