In a surprising turn of events, Benoit Saint-Denis acknowledged his astonishment at Dustin Poirier’s acceptance of a showdown at UFC 299. This revelation came as the promotion unveiled that Poirier, a former interim champion seated at the third rank in the lightweight division, would lock horns with the 12th-ranked Saint-Denis in a five-round co-main event scheduled for March 9 in Miami.
Saint-Denis, making waves since his UFC debut in October 2021, swiftly earned favor among fans with an impressive seven-fight stint in the Octagon. Despite stumbling in his promotional debut with a decision loss, the 28-year-old rebounded emphatically, securing five consecutive victories via stoppage. However, his impending clash with Poirier signifies a considerable escalation in competition, posing a substantial risk for the American who succumbed to a knockout loss against Justin Gaethje in his last outing.
Expressing his surprise, Saint-Denis conveyed to The Independent on Sunday, “Of course, I was a bit surprised that he accepted.” He speculated on the UFC’s involvement in orchestrating the matchup, emphasizing the business-sport duality of the organization. Saint-Denis expected to face Beneil Dariush and found it unexpected that Poirier emerged as his opponent. He attributed the matchmaking success to his manager, Giom Peltier.
Navigating the challenges of being inside the top 15, Saint-Denis, with five consecutive finishes, anticipated a significant bout against a higher-ranked opponent. With contenders ahead and behind already committed to fights, the Frenchman believed his turn had come, expressing contentment that the UFC was able to arrange the fight.
Regarding the unusual five-round stipulation for a non-title co-main event, Saint-Denis commented, “I believe it came from both sides, as well as the UFC.” Recognizing the magnitude of the bout as a co-main event on a UFC pay-per-view, he speculated that the fight could serve as a No 1 contender match for the BMF title, a title introduced in 2019 and last contested when Gaethje defeated Poirier.
Expressing his fight preferences, Saint-Denis mentioned, “There are two guys that I want to fight.” While expressing enthusiasm for the impending battle with Poirier, he looked ahead to potential clashes with Justin Gaethje and lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, provided all goes well.
Reflecting on his stylistic approach, Saint-Denis analyzed the upcoming bout, stating, “I believe fights of this level are always a matter of style.” He emphasized the significance of imposing one’s style on the opponent and foresaw challenges if the fight adopted Poirier’s aggressive style but expressed confidence in his ability to put Poirier in a disadvantageous position if the fight followed his style.
Saint-Denis’s most recent outing in November saw him dispatch Matt Frevola with a first-round head kick knockout, elevating his record to an impressive 13-1, with all wins coming via stoppage (4 KOs, 9 submissions). On the other side, Poirier, 34, holds a storied history, winning the interim lightweight title in 2019 but falling short in unifying the belts against Khabib Nurmagomedov and subsequently losing to Charles Oliveira in 2021.
Despite setbacks, Poirier rebounded with victories over Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler, only to face another defeat against Gaethje in July. The stage is set for a high-stakes clash between Saint-Denis and Poirier, promising an intriguing matchup in the lightweight division.
