Joel Alvarez and Benoit Saint Denis have begun a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, under the guidance of coach Nicolas Ott. The two fighters were originally scheduled to face each other a year ago, but that bout did not materialize. Now they are helping each other prepare for their upcoming fights. Alvarez is set to face Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9th, while Saint Denis does not yet have a fight announced. Alvarez revealed that Saint Denis contacted him to arrange training together and mentioned that the Frenchman likely has a fight lined up against an opponent with a similar style to Alvarez, though Saint Denis has not disclosed who.
Joel Alvarez and Benoit Saint Denis have joined forces for a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, working under coach Nicolas Ott as both lightweight contenders look to sharpen their preparations ahead of upcoming bouts.
Alvarez, ranked twelfth in the lightweight division, carries a 23-4-0 record into this camp. The 33-year-old Spaniard, known as "El Fenomeno," stands six-foot-three with a 77-inch reach and trains out of Bandog Fight Club. He lands a solid 4.78 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate, and his submission game is a persistent threat at 1.1 attempts per 15 minutes. He is scheduled to face Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9th.
Amosov, his incoming opponent, brings a formidable 30-1-0 record and is a serious grappling threat, averaging 4.64 takedowns and 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes — making him one of the more complete grapplers Alvarez will have faced.
Saint Denis, ranked ninth in the same lightweight division, holds a 17-3-0 record and is widely regarded as one of the more dynamic fighters in the weight class. The 30-year-old southpaw averages 5.62 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, and his takedown output of 4.19 per 15 minutes makes him a constant multi-threat. No opponent has been announced for him yet.
According to Alvarez, it was Saint Denis who reached out to arrange the shared camp. Alvarez also suggested that Saint Denis likely has a fight in the pipeline against someone who shares a similar style to Alvarez himself, though Saint Denis has kept the details private.
Why it matters
- Alvarez faces a significant grappling test in Amosov, making the camp alongside a high-volume takedown artist like Saint Denis potentially valuable preparation.
- Saint Denis, ranked above Alvarez at ninth, likely benefits from working with a striker of similar offensive output ahead of a stylistically comparable matchup.
- The pair were originally booked to fight each other a year ago, adding an unusual dynamic to their collaboration.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
