Benoit Saint Denis ‘still the seek and destroy guy’ despite change in approach
UFC 322 fighter Benoit Saint Denis spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters at media day for his lightweight main card bout vs. Beneil Dariush
NEW YORK – Benoit Saint Denis continues to right the wrongs in the training room, leading to results in the cage.
At UFC 322, Saint Denis (15-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) will try to make it a perfect 3-0 for the year as he battles perennial lightweight contender Beneil Dariush (23-6-1 MMA, 17-6-1 UFC). The event takes place Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
“Beneil is a very well-rounded guy, being so many years in the top-10, top-five of the division,” Saint Denis told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “It’s an honor and a privilege to face him at MSG. … We both have very good grappling. We’ve proven it time and time again. It’s a very interesting opposition because it’s a fight where tactics mean something. I do believe the one of us two who will impose his will the most will be the winner of the fight.”
Thus far 2-0 in 2025, Saint Denis has found success after a struggle-filled 2024 campaign during which he endured two brutal beatdowns at the hands of Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano. He’s steered the ship around with victories over Kyle Prepolec and Mauricio Ruffy in recent months.
“I learned a lot of many mistakes that I made in 2024,” Saint Denis said. “Yes, this year is a lot better. I had a lot of sacrifices to make. I made decisions to get back to training a better way, more intelligent, and to grow again as a fighter and having fun in the process of getting better as a mixed martial artist.”
A win over Dariush likely won’t earn Saint Denis a title shot, but it could put him within a fight or two of it. Saint Denis’ ultimate goal is to hold gold, but he needs to take it one step at a time.
“It’s the easiest game in the world if you keep on winning,” Saint Denis said. “You will get that belt: Just keep winning.”
