Benoit Saint-Denis embracing big fight at UFC Paris vs. Mauricio Ruffy
UFC Paris co-main event fighter Benoit Saint-Denis talks about his bout versus Mauricio Ruffy on Sept. 6 with MMA Junkie Radio and more.
Benoit Saint Denis had been on a meteoric rise in the UFC lightweight division, with five consecutive finishes throughout 2022 and 2023. But then, on the precipice of a title shot, Saint Denis crashed down to earth in 2024.
First, in the biggest opportunity of his career, Saint Denis suffered a second-round knockout loss to Dustin Poirier. Nearly seven months later, Saint Denis was battered by Renato Moicano, leading to a doctor stoppage TKO loss in his first UFC headliner in his own country of France.
When he looks back on that period of his career, Saint Denis realizes that the pressure got to him, and he learned some things.
“I have learned over time that it is unnecessary to put yourself under too much pressure,” Saint Denis told MMA Junkie Radio. “Also, pressure is not a bad thing. It’s a privilege. If you have pressure, it’s because there’s stuff on the line when you are fighting. I enjoy the process. Of course, it was difficult through the last couple of years. I felt a lot of pressure, and I was not used to it. Now I feel back to doing what I love, and that’s fighting and winning.”
Saint Denis (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) rebounded in his most recent fight, a submission win over Kyle Prepolec in May. The “God of War” will look to make it two wins in a row Saturday at UFC Fight Night 258 in Paris, where he meets Mauricio Ruffy (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the event’s co-headliner.
Check out Saint Denis’ full interview with MMA Junkie Radio in the video above.
