Benoit Saint Denis, the UFC lightweight contender, is set to make his return to action this Saturday in a grappling showdown at ADXC 4 in France. After a tough loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 299, Saint Denis saw this opportunity as a way to stay active and recharge.
The black belt in judo and brown belt in jiu-jitsu will be competing under grappling rules for the first time since 2019. Initially, ADXC had considered matching him up against Brent Primus and Arman Tsarukyan before settling on Marc Diakiese.
Saint Denis views Diakiese as a tough opponent, noting his athleticism and well-rounded skill set. With a near 70-percent submission rate in MMA, Saint Denis believes his grappling expertise gives him an edge in the matchup.
Despite his focus on climbing the UFC rankings, Saint Denis is taking this challenge seriously. He sees it as a way to stay active and have fun while remaining competitive in the sport he loves.
When asked about potentially competing at ADCC in the future, Saint Denis expressed interest but emphasized the need to focus 100 percent on the task at hand. He understands the dedication required to excel in both MMA and grappling, citing Demian Maia as an example of someone who had to prioritize one discipline over the other.
For now, Saint Denis is fully committed to his MMA career but remains open to the possibility of pursuing greater challenges in the grappling world down the line.