A former opponent of Dan Hooker has expressed dissatisfaction with UFC lightweight fighter Benoit Saint-Denis.
Benoit Saint-Denis currently lacks an opponent for UFC 315 this coming Saturday. His original foe, Joel Alvarez, pulled out over the weekend due to an unstated injury. UFC officials are now attempting to secure a last-minute replacement, leaving Saint-Denis`s spot on the pay-per-view card uncertain.
In light of the uncertainty surrounding the French fighter`s UFC 315 status, up-and-coming lightweight Mauricio Ruffy recently challenged Saint-Denis to headline a UFC Fight Night event. Ruffy holds an undefeated record in the UFC, having recently achieved a decisive knockout victory against King Green at UFC 313.
If Saint-Denis insists on competing in Montreal, reports suggest several potential short-notice opponents. However, one fighter, ranked in the top 15, has publicly claimed Saint-Denis rejected an offer for a fight on short notice.
Mateusz Gamrot Blasts Benoit Saint-Denis Over Alleged UFC 315 Rejection
Mateusz Gamrot was previously rumored for a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan. However, Tsarukyan declined a planned fight on a future UFC Abu Dhabi card. Tsarukyan himself recently pulled out of a scheduled UFC 311 main event against Islam Makhachev just hours beforehand due to a back injury.
Gamrot secured a unanimous decision victory over Tsarukyan in a highly contested `Fight of the Year` candidate headlining a UFC Fight Night in June 2022. Since that loss, Tsarukyan has remained undefeated, with notable wins over Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush.
Reports indicate that Gamrot was offered the fight against Saint-Denis for UFC 315, but Saint-Denis reportedly declined.
Following this alleged refusal, Gamrot took to X (formerly Twitter) to accuse Saint-Denis of avoiding the short-notice bout at UFC 315.
“BSD turned down the fight next week, what’s wrong with you guys? Grow some balls, cowards!”
Gamrot`s most recent fight was a split decision defeat against Dan Hooker at UFC 305 in September. Prior to that loss, he had a three-fight winning streak, including victories over Rafael dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev.
Saint-Denis is aiming to rebound after suffering consecutive TKO losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano earlier in 2024. This marks the first time he has experienced a losing streak in his professional MMA career.
Belal Muhammad Comments on UFC 315 Title Fight Backup Status
The main event of UFC 315 features a welterweight championship bout between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. Ian Machado Garry is reportedly designated as a potential short-notice replacement if either headliner is unable to compete, a role Muhammad finds puzzling.
In a recent interview, Muhammad questioned Garry`s decision to accept a backup role with only a week`s notice, especially after his victory over Carlos Prates at UFC Kansas City the previous month. As the pay-per-view event approaches, Muhammad has publicly downplayed the likelihood of Garry needing to step in.
Muhammad is preparing for his first title defense, having secured the championship by defeating Leon Edwards at UFC 304 last July. He had previously been booked to headline UFC 310 against Shavkat Rakhmonov but withdrew from that event due to a health concern.
While a matchup between Muhammad and Garry is possible in the future, Muhammad does not expect their paths to cross this weekend at UFC 315.
