Ranked lightweight contenders kick off the UFC 322 main card, as No. 9 Beneil Dariush faces No. 13 Benoit Saint Denis on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Both fighters recently snapped two-fight skids — Dariush with a unanimous decision win in June, and Saint Denis with back-to-back submission victories.
Saint Denis enters as a -180 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Dariush sits as a +150 underdog. The total is set at 1.5 rounds. Here’s a breakdown and my top pick for Saturday’s lightweight showdown.
Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint Denis Preview
There’s a reason Dariush (23-6-1) has been a UFC staple since his Octagon debut in 2014. The southpaw has dispatched opponents with his scholarly Brazilian jiu jitsu, bolstered by elite counter wrestling and calculated power striking — highlighted by a devastating left hand that once sparked one of the most iconic cageside reactions in UFC history:
Dariush rode an eight-fight winning streak into 2023, only to suffer back-to-back first-round knockouts at the hands of Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan. He returned a year and a half later with a dominant, unanimous decision win over Renato Moicano in June. But at 36, and after recently enduring two devastating knockouts, it’s fair to wonder how much longer Dariush can hang with the top fighters in the division.
Saint Denis (15-3) is on an opposite trajectory. The French southpaw has bounced back from a miserable stretch in 2024, where he suffered back-to-back stoppage losses to Dustin Poirier and Moicano, with consecutive second-round submission victories over Kyle Prepolec and rising prospect Mauricio Ruffy.
Nicknamed “God of War,” Saint Denis is a man of violence. A massive gas tank fuels his relentless forward pressure, as he hunts down opponents with heavy left kicks and constant takedown attempts. It’s no surprise that all 15 of his wins have come within the distance, including four knockouts and 11 submissions.
Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint Denis Pick, Best Bet
Dariush is the more refined fighter, holding a stylistic edge both on the feet and on the mat. He could come out on top if he presses forward, counters effectively, and drags the fight into the later rounds. But that’s easier said than done against an opponent like Saint Denis, who thrives in a good old-fashioned slugfest. The “God of War” will likely march forward, looking to overwhelm Dariush early – just as Oliveira and Tsarukyan did, to great success.
With Father Time on his side, count on Saint Denis to make a statement on Saturday night and reassert himself as one of the most dangerous men at 155 pounds.
