With UFC Paris set to take place on September 6th, Benoit Saint-Denis has hinted on Instagram at a return to the octagon in his home nation. The Frenchman last fought back in May at UFC 315, where he submitted Kyle Prepolec via arm triangle in round two. Saint-Denis has fought on the last three UFC cards that have taken place in Paris, so it would make sense that he would make an appearance once again in his home nation. This, coupled with the fact that Cyril Gane, who has headlined multiple UFC Paris cards, is unlikely to fight on this card, means that it is all but certain that Saint-Denis, being one of the most popular French fighters, will appear on this card.
The ‘God of War’ has found it tough as of late, with two losses in his last three. His loss back at UFC 299 would have been a hard pill to swallow, as he seemed to be dominating Dustin Poirier before Poirier knocked him out. His next fight after that in September of last year saw him lose very convincingly against Renato Moicano, with the Brazilian knocking Saint-Denis out in round two.
Saint-Denis was touted to be one of the next generation of top lightweights and whilst his losses over the last year and a half have been disappointing, the Frenchman is still only 29 years of age, and his wins against the likes of Matt Frevola, Thiago Moises and Ismael Bonfim show he is a dangerous lightweight with finishing instincts, and still has plenty to offer the UFC.
There are a number of potential opponents for Saint-Denis. Michael Chandler could be a very intriguing matchup. Chandler is coming off a three-fight losing streak and desperately needs a win, and the clash of styles with Saint-Denis could lead to one of the most entertaining fights of the year. Alternatively, the UFC could set up an all-European affair with Mateusz Gamrot, but perhaps the most obvious fight would be a French Vs French matchup against Fares Ziam. Ziam is currently on a five-fight winning streak and is looking to break into the rankings, and a matchup between the two would generate massive buzz in France.
