Joel Alvarez and Benoit Saint Denis have started training together at a camp in Bayonne, France, under coach Nicolas Ott. The two fighters were previously scheduled to face each other a year ago, but the bout never materialized. Now they are helping each other prepare for their upcoming fights. Alvarez is scheduled to fight Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9th, while Saint Denis does not yet have an announced opponent. According to Alvarez, Saint Denis reached out to arrange the joint training and mentioned he will likely face an opponent with a similar style, though he didn't reveal who.
Two lightweights who were once set to face each other inside the octagon are now sharing a gym. Joel Alvarez and Benoit Saint Denis have launched a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, working under coach Nicolas Ott as both prepare for upcoming bouts.
Alvarez, known as "El Fenomeno," carries a 23-4-0 record and is ranked twelfth in the lightweight division. The 33-year-old Spaniard stands six-foot-three with a 77-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance for Bandog Fight Club. He lands 4.78 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate and averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, marking him as a well-rounded threat on the feet and on the mat. Alvarez is booked to fight Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9th.
Amosov, the orthodox fighter Alvarez will face, holds an imposing 30-1-0 record. The 32-year-old stands six feet tall with a 75-inch reach and averages 4.64 takedowns and 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him a serious grappling threat for any opponent.
Saint Denis, nicknamed "God of War," sits one spot above Alvarez at ninth in the lightweight rankings with a 17-3-0 record. The 30-year-old southpaw stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach and is one of the division's more aggressive wrestlers, averaging 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 5.62 significant strikes landed per minute at 58 percent accuracy. He does not yet have an announced opponent, though Alvarez indicated Saint Denis suggested his upcoming adversary would carry a similar style to Amosov — making the collaboration tactically useful for both men.
According to Alvarez, it was Saint Denis who initiated the arrangement, and the two former scheduled opponents are now channeling that rivalry into mutual preparation.
Why it matters
- Alvarez faces Amosov's heavy grappling game, and Saint Denis's elite takedown volume offers ideal simulation work
- A win for Alvarez over Amosov could push the twelfth-ranked lightweight toward the top ten
- Saint Denis, already ranked ninth, could be eyeing a high-profile opponent whose identity may emerge soon
Saturday, May 9, 2026
