Fight Preview
This weekend in Paris, France, on the undercard of UFC Fight Night 226, lightweight Benoit Saint-Denis will face off against the skilled veteran Thiago Moises. It won’t be easy for the rough Saint-Denis to defend his home turf against the rising brawler Moises.
Benoit Saint-Denis’s reputation for being as tough as a two-dollar steak has earned him a devoted fan base. A late replacement for Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos at welterweight two years ago, he made a terrible first impression. Saint-Denis has gone 3-0 in his original weight class since then, with victories over Niklas Stolze by submission, Gabriel Miranda via knockout in the second round, and highly ranked Ismael Bonfim via submission in July.
Saint-Denis has a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a black belt in judo, making him an exceptional grappler. The Frenchman is an extremely tiring grappler, averaging 3.8 takedowns and 1.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes. With an average fight time of 7 minutes and 54 seconds, he has won all 11 of his bouts by knockout or submission.
Thiago Moises is stuck in the middle of the pack, but he’s gained crucial experience against top competition. The 17-6 veteran has faced Islam Makhachev, Beneil Dariush, Damir Ismagulov, and Bobby Green in the octagon, only beating Green. His previous two opponents, Christos Giagos and Melquizael Costa, were submitted in the first round, and he won both bouts. However, he has lost to the actual best of the division.
Moises, like Saint-Denis, is a BJJ black belt and a ground specialist. He submits opponents at a rate of 1.3 per 15 minutes and scores 1.53 takedowns, yet his takedown accuracy is higher than that of the ever-mauling Saint-Denis. Against the surging Saint-Denis, his experience may prove to be his greatest asset.
While we might have seen the best of Moises, Saint-Denis is steadily improving to become a contender at lightweight. Both fighters are fearless when it comes to closing the distance and excel when their opponent is on the ground. It may be a striking clash if their grappling cancels each other out.
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Benoit Saint-Denis vs Thiago Moises Fight Information
- Date: 09/02/2023
- Time: 03:00 PM ET
- Location: Accor Arena.
- How to Watch Benoit Saint-Denis vs Thiago Moises: ESPN+
- Live Stream: BT Sport.com
