Saint Denis to Face Kyle Prepolec After Alvarez Withdrawal

Benoit Saint Denis, currently ranked No. 13 in the lightweight division, is now scheduled to compete against Canadian veteran Kyle Prepolec. This change comes after Joel Alvarez was forced to withdraw due to an injury.

Speculation arose regarding Saint Denis’s participation in the event when Mateusz Gamrot, a top-10 contender, alleged that the French fighter declined a short-notice match.

Ultimately, Saint Denis agreed to a fight with Prepolec, aged 35, who is stepping in on short notice for a significant comeback to the UFC.

Prepolec’s previous UFC stint was in 2019, where he experienced decision defeats against Nordine Taleb and Austin Hubbard, leading to his release.

Since then, the Ontario native has been actively competing in the Canadian regional circuit, securing a 4-1 record and boosting his professional record to 18-8.

This contest presents a vital opportunity for Saint Denis to revitalize his momentum.

Following a successful run in 2022 and 2023, marked by five consecutive victories via stoppages, the Frenchman encountered a challenging period in 2024, suffering a knockout loss to Dustin Poirier in March and a TKO defeat to Renato Moicano in September.

Saint Denis versus Prepolec is slated for the main card of UFC 315, a pay-per-view event highlighted by a welterweight title match between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena.

The co-main event will showcase a highly anticipated women’s flyweight title clash featuring former champion Valentina Shevchenko and emerging contender Manon Fiorot.