Yoel Alvarez and Benoit Saint-Denis have begun a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, under the guidance of coach Nicolas Ott. The two lightweights were scheduled to fight each other a year ago, but the bout fell through. Now they are helping each other prepare for upcoming fights. Alvarez is scheduled to face Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9, while Saint-Denis does not yet have an announced bout. According to Alvarez, Saint-Denis reached out to arrange the training partnership, and the Frenchman hinted he may be preparing for an opponent with a style similar to Alvarez's, though he did not reveal who.
Yoel Alvarez and Benoit Saint-Denis have joined forces for a training camp in Bayonne, France, working under coach Nicolas Ott as both lightweights prepare for separate upcoming bouts.
The pairing carries an unusual backstory. The two were originally booked to fight each other roughly a year ago, only for that matchup to fall apart. Now, rather than remaining rivals at a distance, they are sharing the mat and preparing together. According to Alvarez, it was Saint-Denis who initiated the partnership. The Frenchman has also hinted that his own upcoming opponent may carry a stylistic resemblance to Alvarez, though he has stopped short of naming anyone.
Saint-Denis, nicknamed "God of War," holds a 17-3-0 record and sits at number nine in the lightweight rankings at 30 years old. The southpaw stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach and brings a high-volume, multi-dimensional game to the cage, landing 5.62 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy while averaging 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes. He does not yet have an announced opponent.
Alvarez is scheduled to face Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9. Amosov, 32, carries a 30-1-0 record and presents a serious grappling threat, averaging 4.64 takedowns and 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes. The orthodox fighter stands six feet tall with a 75-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Alvarez faces one of the most submission-heavy fighters on the UFC roster in Amosov, making access to a high-level grappling training partner like Saint-Denis particularly valuable.
- Saint-Denis's hint about an opponent with a style similar to Alvarez's could signal an imminent booking announcement in the lightweight division.
- A joint camp between two fighters who were once matched against each other adds a layer of competitive complexity to the arrangement.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
