Who Can Hang 'The God of War'?
Dan Hooker will be facing Benoît Saint Denis at UFC 325, and both stand to move up in rankings following a win in the fight. If the win is earned, either fighter could end up on their way to Men's Lightweight Division glory and follow in the footsteps of champions like Islam Makhachev. Dan or 'The Hangman' is currently looking at a record of 24-13-0. So, experience is in his favor as he is used to moving around in a fight with a switch stance, unlike the southpaw stance of Saint Denis. 'The God of War' or Benoît Saint Denis sits with a record of 16-3-0 and is the younger of the two. Benoît has had less time to develop his skills, with fewer fights under his belt. However, he is ready to bring 'The Hangman' to a ground position that would make a noose feel loose by comparison. If he can, he'll only have three rounds total to do this feat for Dan on this upcoming Saturday at 9:00 p.m. EST.
Dan has been in the UFC since 2014 and has made a name for himself in the Men's Lightweight Division, but has never gotten a title shot. The skills he has developed include creating a strong defense if fights go to the ground, while taking opportunities to get solid knockouts. In fact, during his time in the UFC, he has secured 11 knockout wins. However, he suffered a loss when he submitted to an arm triangle in his last fight against Arman Tsarukyan. This means he can be made vulnerable like any other experienced fighter. Although, as an experienced fighter, he had secured three wins before that fight, including one by KO/TKO from a kick.
Benoît will have to avoid that kick as well as Dan's reach. In general, he is the less experienced of the two and has a shorter reach. He can capitalize on his strengths, like his strong ground game. From the ground, he has secured 11 wins and displayed dominant positions, leading to more strikes landed than 'The Hangman' per minute. His past three wins are varied in how he secured them, too. He got his last win in his fight against Beneil Dariush, a solid KO/TKO punch in the first round! The other two wins were achieved by submission. Altogether, he can adjust to what Dan has to offer during this fight. If 'The God of War' does not adjust and use striking to create knockout opportunities, he will likely go to the ground during the fight.
The fight itself will be filled with events that both fighters will have to get used to quickly, whether the ground is favored. The advantage that Benoît carries on the ground could be interrupted if he goes for a leg lock, where Dan could simply roll out of the trap or use punches to create distance. However, Dan will have to dance around his southpaw opponent and watch out for any knockout punches. History could repeat itself, and he could actually secure another KO/TKO by kicks alone. The event to watch for there would be if his leg were caught by 'The God of War'. A leg strike caught could be time bought by Benoît if he suddenly performs a leg sweep to 'The Hangman'.
Leg sweeps and distance-creating punches aside, it is more likely that Benoît will submit Dan by the second round. He should win by submission because of his grappling experience and his ability to recognize opportunities that tend to trap his opponents. 'The Hangman' could try and perform knockout strikes, but Benoît has displayed the ability to hold his own while standing. 'The God of War' will be tough for his veteran opponent to defeat because of the varied capabilities displayed by Benoît thus far in his fighting career. However, be sure to catch the match that is brimming with title fight potential!
