Joël Alvarez and Benoit Saint-Denis have begun a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, working under coach Nicolas Otamendi. The two lightweight fighters were scheduled to face each other a year ago, but that bout never materialized. Now they are helping each other prepare for their respective upcoming fights. Alvarez is scheduled to fight Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9, while Saint-Denis does not yet have an announced opponent. Alvarez revealed that Saint-Denis reached out to arrange the training partnership and suggested Saint-Denis may be preparing for an opponent with a similar style to his own, though Saint-Denis has not disclosed who that opponent might be.
Joël Alvarez and Benoit Saint-Denis have joined forces for a shared training camp in Bayonne, France, working under coach Nicolas Otamendi as both men gear up for upcoming lightweight assignments at and around UFC 328 on May 9.
The pairing carries an extra layer of intrigue given that the two were once booked to fight each other, a bout that ultimately fell through. Rather than remain rivals from a distance, Saint-Denis reached out to Alvarez to arrange the partnership. Alvarez has suggested the move may be tactically motivated on Saint-Denis's end, hinting that his French teammate could be preparing for an opponent whose style resembles his own — though Saint-Denis has kept the identity of that potential opponent under wraps.
Alvarez's confirmed assignment at UFC 328 is Yaroslav Amosov, a 32-year-old orthodox grappler who carries a 30-1-0 record and one of the more imposing submission-threat profiles in the division, averaging 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside 4.64 takedowns in the same span.
Saint-Denis, ranked ninth in the lightweight division at 30 years old, brings a relentless all-around game of his own. The southpaw Frenchman holds a 17-3-0 record and lands 5.62 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, while also averaging 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes. No opponent has been announced for him yet.
Why it matters
- Alvarez faces Amosov, a high-volume grappler, making a wrestling-sharp training partner like Saint-Denis a logical choice for camp preparation.
- Saint-Denis's hint about opponent-style similarities has fueled speculation about who he may be set to face, adding intrigue to an already interesting camp dynamic.
- Both fighters are active in a crowded lightweight division where wins carry significant ranking implications.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
