UFC competitor Benoit Saint-Denis is poised for a defining showdown against former interim 155-pound champion Dustin Poirier. The two will be competing in the upcoming UFC 299 event.
This anticipated five-round co-main event is set to unfold on Saturday, March 9, 2024. It will be taking place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan will face off in a lightweight bout at UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The winner of the April 13 bout is set to become the No. 1 contender for the lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev is expected to return in the summer after recovering from an injury, according to UFC CEO Dana White.
Oliveira was initially scheduled to fight Makhachev at UFC 294 in October 2023 but had to withdraw due to a last-minute cut suffered in training.
Oliveira lost to Makhachev at UFC 280 for the vacant lightweight title.
Arman Tsarukyan, seeking a rematch with Makhachev, lost a decision to the champion in his debut five years ago.
UFC 300 is yet to have an official headliner, with other matchups including Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic, Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling, and Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage advertised for the event.
Saint-Denis (13-1, 1 NC) encountered a setback in his debut in the Octagon. He succumbed to a decision loss against Brazilian powerhouse Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos during UFC 267.
Undeterred by this initial stumble, Saint-Denis made a fierce comeback. He ended up claiming five consecutive victories, each culminating in a finish. Notably, his highlight-reel knockout of lightweight veteran Matt Frevola at UFC 295 showcased his relentless prowess.
Meanwhile, Poirier (29-8, 1 NC) seeks to bounce back from a knockout defeat suffered at the hands of long-standing rival Justin Gaethje during UFC 291. Poirier has been a consistent presence in pay-per-view events over the past four years, securing victories against formidable opponents such as Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler.
The highly anticipated UFC 299 event is not limited to this compelling lightweight clash. Headlining the card is the bantamweight title showdown, featuring Sean O’Malley defending his 135-pound title against Marlon Vera in a UFC 252 rematch.
Additionally, the card boasts an intense matchup between welterweight stalwarts Gilbert Burns and Jack Della Maddalena at 170 pounds.
UFC CEO Dana White officially confirmed the matchup, generating buzz and anticipation among MMA enthusiasts for this event that promises thrilling encounters and potential shifts in the lightweight division rankings.
The latest UFC 299 lineup now includes:
- Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera – for bantamweight title
- Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint-Denis
- Gilbert Burns vs. Jack Della Maddalena
- Song Yadong vs. Petr Yan
- Kevin Holland vs. Michael Page
- Maycee Barber vs. Katlyn Chookagian
- Jailton Almeida vs. Curtis Blaydes
- Asu Almabaev vs. CJ Vergara
- Rafael dos Anjos vs. Mateusz Gamrot
- Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips
- Lauren Murphy vs. Karine Silva