What Should Be Next for the ‘God of War’ After His Impressive Upset Victory?
Benoit Saint Denis brought back his killer instinct last Saturday at UFC Fight Night: Caio Borralho vs. Nassourdine Imavov. He was looked at by most fans to be a stepping stone for Mauricio Ruffy to get himself into the top 15 of the Lightweight Division. He was able to completely overwhelm Ruffy with his aggressiveness and relentless wrestling. He ran through one of the most hyped up fighters in the Lightweight Division and has set himself up with a great opportunity to get a big-time fight next time he steps into the Octagon. I will break down two potential matchups the ‘God of War’ could have next.
Benoit Saint Denis vs. Mateusz Gamrot
Mateusz Gamrot has been wanting a ranked opponent for quite some time now. After he was able to dispose of Ludovit Klein, stylistically speaking, this should be an interesting fight. The last time Saint Denis fought a grappler, he was brutally dominated by Renato Moricano. Both fighters like to walk forward and use their aggressiveness to shoot for takedowns when their opponents' backs are against the fence. On the feet, I think this favors Saint Denis heavenly, he has better footwork and much more power that could hurt Gamrot early and often, who has shown in the past to have a weak chin. Gamrot’s cardio can keep him in this fight, especially if he can survive the early rounds and Saint Denis begins to tire. I feel like Saint Denis has a newfound motivation to get back into title contention and show the world what he truly is capable of. If he can get through a tough and gritty fighter like Gamrot, he will be in the top 10 and show he can beat elite strikers and elite wrestlers.
Benoit Saint Denis vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Arman Tsarukyan is still without an opponent and has yet to fight in 2025. The more time that goes on, the worse his win over Charles Oliveira will look, as he could potentially be on a two-fight losing streak by the end of the year. Saint Denis called out Tsarukyan after his victory last Saturday, and with multiple fighters in the top five fighting down in the rankings, I would not be surprised if the UFC gifts Saint Denis this opportunity. This would be an exciting fight with two very skilled all around fighters. The difference in this fight will be whose defense is better, and I would give that edge to Tsarukyan. However, even though Saint Denis doesn’t move his head well and would rather eat a shot than dodge his terminator, like would mentally overwhelm Tsarukyan, who has never fought anyone like that so far in his career. If Saint Denis can overcome Tsarukyan wrestling and get this upset victory, he would be ranked number one in the Lightweight Division and call his own shot at the title.
Just when most fans thought this could have been the beginning of the end for Benoit Saint Denis in terms of being a true threat in the Lightweight Division. He flips the script and not only wins but he absolutely dominates his matchup while taking little to no damage. Fans are back on his side, and that will allow him a matchup in the rankings next time out. If he can use this momentum and carry it over, it can continue to build, and he can regain that confidence and ruthless mentality once again. We will see what Dana White and the rest of his committee decide to do with the ‘God of War’ moving forward.
