Joël Alvarez and Benoit Saint-Denis have started a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, under coach Nicolas Otta. The two fighters were scheduled to face each other a year ago, but that bout fell through. Alvarez is preparing for his fight against 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 training partnership and believes the Frenchman may have an upcoming fight against an opponent with a similar style to his own, though Saint-Denis has not disclosed who.
Joël Alvarez and Benoit Saint-Denis have joined forces for a shared training camp in Bayonne, France, working under coach Nicolas Otta as Alvarez prepares to face Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9.
The pairing carries a note of history. The two were booked to fight each other roughly a year ago before that matchup fell apart. According to Alvarez, it was Saint-Denis who reached out to propose the joint camp, and Alvarez has suggested the arrangement may not be purely coincidental — he believes Saint-Denis could have an upcoming fight against an opponent with a stylistic profile similar to his own, though Saint-Denis has kept the details private.
Saint-Denis, nicknamed "God of War," sits ninth in the UFC lightweight rankings at 30 years old. The French southpaw carries a 17-3 record and brings a high-pressure, multi-threat game: he lands 5.62 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 58 percent accuracy, while also averaging 4.19 takedowns and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Alvarez's opponent, Yaroslav Amosov, is a 32-year-old orthodox fighter standing six feet tall with a 75-inch reach and a 30-1 record. Amosov is a dominant wrestler who averages 4.64 takedowns and 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him one of the more complete grapplers in his division.
Why it matters
- Alvarez drilling with one of lightweight's most dangerous takedown artists could sharpen his defensive wrestling ahead of a grappling-heavy challenge in Amosov.
- Saint-Denis's hint at an undisclosed opponent with a similar style to Alvarez keeps his next appearance a subject of speculation within the division.
- Both fighters training together in Bayonne keeps two of Europe's most prominent lightweights active and visible heading into a busy stretch of the UFC calendar.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
