Latest news with #BenoitSaintDenis
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Don't want to empty myself out' – Dustin Poirier reveals heartfelt fears which prompted UFC 318 retirement
DUSTIN POIRIER insists he's content with his decision to retire from mixed martial arts, That's despite still being very much at the peak of his powers. 14 14 14 14 The bona fide Hall of Famer's career will come to an emotional and poetic end early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 318 in New Orleans. Unlike many before him, the 36-year-old's hanging up of the gloves hasn't been prompted by the regression of his skillset or the absorption of unnecessary punishment. In his last two fights with Islam Makhachev and Benoit Saint Denis, the Lafayette, Louisiana leftie has shown that he can still mix it with the very best the lightweight division has to offer. But he's determined to walk away from the sport which has brought him fame and fortune on his terms and, more importantly, while he still has all his faculties intact. In an exclusive interview with SunSport, he said: "I've been fighting since I was 17 years old, so making this decision is tough. "But the decision was made because, you know, I have over 50 fights. "My wife's pregnant, I have a little girl at home. I've said this over and over again, 'I don't want this sport to retire me. "'I want to walk away from this sport.' And if that's putting only great performances and fighting and beating the best guys in the world, that's the way I want it to be. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 14 14 14 "I want to go out on top with stuff still left in the tank. "I don't want to empty myself out and leave this game broken and bruised for a paycheck. "It's just time. I just feel like it's time, you know. I've done a lot in the sport. "And I want to be healthy and be with my family. I've been doing this for a very long time." Poirier's eagerness not to have the sport retire him is wise, given the worrying effects of traumatic brain injuries we're starting to see in some of the greats of yesteryear. The temptation to continue fighting and pursue undisputed UFC gold, the only thing which has eluded him in his run in the promotion, has been strong. Even just this week, the little devil on his left shoulder was telling him to go full 'Wolf of Wall Street' and roar: "I'm not f * ****g leaving!" He admitted: "There are moments like when I'm driving to the gym and stuff that reality sets in. "And [I'm like], 'I can't believe this is the last time I'm ever gonna do this. But my decision has been made." Poirier will likely go down as the greatest fighter to never have an undisputed UFC title wrapped around his waist. 14 14 14 Winning one of his three cracks at the lightweight title would've undoubtedly further cemented what is an already historic career. But those losses to Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira and Makhachev won't eat away at him as much as you'd think. "I'm grateful for everything," he said. "All the lessons I've learned and the accomplishments I've had throughout the sport. "I had a good run, I really did. And I'm proud of it." MMA retirements are often looked at with a side-eye due to the sheer number of fighters who have performed U-turns or entered the world of boxing. But with mental and physical well-being now being his top priority, Poirier insists neither will end up being the case for him. He said: "I'm still going to be in the gym, so we'll see about grappling. "If something fun came along, maybe I would do a grappling match or something like that in the future. "But [as far as] combat sports, I'm gonna protect my brain and try to age as healthy as I can after post-fighting." 14 14 14 Countless pugilists and mixed martial artists have publicly struggled with life after fighting, with many openly admitting they've suffered identity crises. Unlike many before him, Poirier has financial interests outside of fighting to keep himself busy. Although he admits: "I don't think anything's ever gonna fill that void of what fighting was throughout my career. "So that could be a little bit of struggle to be at war with something so deeply the way I've been with combat sports." The honour of being Poirier's last dance partner, fittingly, goes to a man he welcomed to the UFC 13 years ago - former featherweight champion Max Holloway. Poirier is 2-0 in his series with the Hawaiian, who was his dance partner when he claimed interim lightweight gold at UFC 236 in April 2019. That fight was a war for the ages, something Poirier believes will be the case when they collide again in their Bayou brawl this weekend. "I feel like it's gonna be a lot like the last one," he said when asked how he foresees his swansong playing out. "Back and forth on the feet, but just at a higher level and a higher IQ. "It's going to be a battle, you know. It's gonna be a battle like the second one, I'm sure." 14
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
UFC to return to Paris in September
The UFC has announced a fight night on 6 September at Accor Arena in is the fourth year in a row the UFC has travelled to the French capital, with the country only legalising MMA in headliner has been announced, but the UFC has several French stars to chose Ciryl Gane, lightweight Benoit Saint Denis, recent flyweight title challenger Manon Fiorot and middleweight Nassourdine Imavov will all be contenders to be the main of them have a fight booked on that night. Saint Denis headlined the 2024 event, losing to Renato UFC travels to Azerbaijan on 21 June, with Welshman Oban Elliott in action, but is yet to announce any other European shows in 2025, having been to London in March.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
UFC announces return to Paris for end of summer
The UFC continues to make its annual trip to France. A UFC Fight Night event is set to take place Sept. 6 at Accor Arena in Paris, promotion officials announced Tuesday morning. No fights were included in the announcement. The promotion's most recent trip to Paris took place last Sept. 28, 2024, where France's Benoit Saint Denis headlined UFC Fight Night 243 against Renato Moicano. Saint Denis lost a doctor's stoppage TKO in Round 2 after doctors declared him unable to see. In the co-main event, Nassourdine Imavov extended his winning streak by defeating Brendan Allen by unanimous decision, and rising lightweight Fares Ziam scored one of the best knockouts of the year over Matt Frevola. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC announces end-of-summer return to Paris
USA Today
04-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
UFC announces return to Paris for end of summer
UFC announces return to Paris for end of summer The UFC continues to make its annual trip to France. A UFC Fight Night event is set to take place Sept. 6 at Accor Arena in Paris, promotion officials announced Tuesday morning. No fights were included in the announcement. The promotion's most recent trip to Paris took place last Sept. 28, 2024, where France's Benoit Saint Denis headlined UFC Fight Night 243 against Renato Moicano. Saint Denis lost a doctor's stoppage TKO in Round 2 after doctors declared him unable to see. In the co-main event, Nassourdine Imavov extended his winning streak by defeating Brendan Allen by unanimous decision, and rising lightweight Fares Ziam scored one of the best knockouts of the year over Matt Frevola.
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Benoit Saint Denis wants Mateusz Gamrot after snapping skid\u00a0at UFC 315
Benoit Saint Denis wants Mateusz Gamrot after snapping skid at UFC 315 Show Caption Hide Caption Benoit Saint Denis wants Mateusz Gamrot after snapping losing skid UFC 315 winner Benoit Saint Denis spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters post-fight after his second-round submission of Kyle Prepolec in Montreal. MONTREAL – Benoit Saint Denis met the media Saturday after his win over Kyle Prepolec at UFC 315. Saint Denis (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) got some early bits of resistance from Prepolec (18-9 MMA, 0-3 UFC), who took the fight on less than a week's notice to save Saint Denis' spot on the card when Joel Alvarez pulled out. But ultimately, he took over and submitted Prepolec midway into the first round. Saint Denis, who was a massive betting favorite of more than 11-1 in the fight, snapped a two-fight skid and now is hoping for a chance at Mateusz Gamrot, who has claimed Saint Denis turned down a fight. "The only problem is we never got any offer (from Gamrot) for (UFC 315)," Saint Denis said at his post-fight news conference. "I wanted to fight tonight. Now it's done. He knows better than everybody, all the fighters: When you have an opportunity to fight, you want to fight. You don't do a training camp for nothing. "… I don't know what the UFC plans are with Gamrot, if he has a fight planned. But anybody in the top 10, it's an honor and a privilege (to fight them). It's going to be a war." Gamrot (24-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is set to fight Ludovit Klein at the end of the month. Check out Gamrot's post-fight news conference in the video above.
