Yoel Alvarez and Benoit Saint-Denis have started training together at a camp in Bayonne, France, under the guidance of Nicolas Ott. The two fighters were originally scheduled to face each other a year ago, but that bout never materialized. Alvarez is now preparing for his UFC 328 fight against Yaroslav Amosov on May 9, while Saint-Denis does not yet have a bout announced. Alvarez mentioned that Saint-Denis reached out to arrange the joint training and suggested that the Frenchman likely has an upcoming fight against an opponent with a similar style to Alvarez, though Saint-Denis has not disclosed details.
Yoel Alvarez and Benoit Saint-Denis have joined forces for a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, ahead of Alvarez's welterweight bout against Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9. The camp is being run under the guidance of coach Nicolas Ott.
Saint-Denis, nicknamed "God of War," holds a 17-3-0 record and sits ranked ninth in the lightweight division. The 30-year-old Frenchman, who stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach, is a relentless pressure fighter who lands 5.62 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes. He does not currently have a fight announced, though Alvarez suggested Saint-Denis reached out to arrange the camp and likely has an upcoming opponent with a stylistic profile similar to Alvarez himself.
Amosov, the man Alvarez will face at UFC 328, carries an imposing 30-1-0 record at age 32. The six-foot Orthodox wrestler averages 4.64 takedowns per 15 minutes and an eye-catching 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him one of the more dangerous grapplers in the welterweight division. His 75-inch reach gives him additional length on the feet as well.
The pairing has a notable backstory: the two fighters were originally booked to compete against each other roughly a year ago, but that fight never came to fruition. Rather than remain rivals from a distance, Saint-Denis took the initiative to contact Alvarez and propose training together.
Why it matters
- Alvarez gains direct preparation against a high-output grappler ahead of facing Amosov's wrestling-heavy game
- Saint-Denis sharpens his skills against a fighter whose style reportedly mirrors his own rumored next opponent
- The camp underscores an unusual dynamic where two former scheduled opponents become collaborative training partners
Saturday, May 9, 2026
