Joel Alvarez and Benoit Saint Denis have begun a joint training camp in Bayonne, France, working under coach Nicolas Ott. The two fighters were scheduled to face each other a year ago, but the bout did not materialize. Now they are helping each other prepare for their respective upcoming fights. Alvarez will face Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9, while Saint Denis does not yet have an announced opponent. Alvarez revealed that Saint Denis reached out to arrange the training partnership and suggested he may be preparing for an opponent with a similar style to Alvarez's, though no opponent has been confirmed.
Joel Alvarez and Benoit Saint Denis have joined forces for a shared training camp in Bayonne, France, working under coach Nicolas Ott as both lightweight contenders prepare for their next assignments.
Alvarez, nicknamed "El Fenomeno," carries a 23-4 record into his bout against Yaroslav Amosov at UFC 328 on May 9. The 33-year-old Spaniard, ranked twelfth in the lightweight division, trains out of Bandog Fight Club and stands six-foot-three with a 77-inch reach. He lands 4.78 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate and averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him a well-rounded threat on the feet and on the mat.
Saint Denis, ranked ninth at lightweight and nicknamed "God of War," holds a 17-3 record. The 30-year-old southpaw stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach and is among the more active fighters in the division, landing 5.62 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy while averaging an impressive 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes. No opponent has been announced for his next fight, though Alvarez indicated that Saint Denis initiated the training partnership and may be preparing for someone with a stylistic profile similar to his own.
The two were originally scheduled to meet a year ago before that matchup fell through, making the current collaboration an unusual turn.
Why it matters
- Alvarez faces Amosov, a 30-1 wrestler who averages 4.64 takedowns and 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making Saint Denis an ideal training partner given his own heavy grappling output
- A win for Alvarez over Amosov could push him well inside the lightweight top ten
- Saint Denis's unannounced opponent adds intrigue to why he specifically sought out Alvarez as a sparring reference point
Saturday, May 9, 2026
