Canadian fighter Kyle Prepolec will make a return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship this Saturday, stepping in on short notice to face Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 315 in Montreal. Prepolec replaces Joel Alvarez, who withdrew from the scheduled main card bout due to injury. The fight marks Prepolec's first appearance in the Octagon in more than five years.
Prepolec, an Ontario native, previously competed in the UFC in 2019. His initial run ended after consecutive decision losses to Nordine Taleb and Austin Hubbard. Following his departure, the lightweight fighter competed on the regional circuit.
During his time away from the UFC, Prepolec secured the inaugural Samourai MMA lightweight title in 2021. After a loss to Shane Campbell, he amassed three straight first-round finishes, drawing the attention of the promotion again and securing his opportunity at UFC 315.
His opponent, Benoit Saint-Denis, enters the bout as the UFC's #13-ranked lightweight contender. Saint-Denis previously served in the French Special Air Service, participating in counter-terrorism operations in West Africa, a background detailed in a profile on the fighter here.
Saint-Denis is looking to rebound after consecutive losses, including a recent bout against Dustin Poirier. Prior to those defeats, the Frenchman had put together a five-fight streak of finishes.
The fight between Prepolec and Saint-Denis is scheduled to open the UFC 315 main card at the Bell Centre. The event also features two title fights, including Belal Muhammad versus Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight championship details here, and Valentina Shevchenko defending her women's flyweight title against Manon Fiorot. News of Alvarez's withdrawal and Prepolec stepping in was reported earlier in the week, altering the planned lightweight clash reported cancellation details.
Benoit Saint-Denis reflected on his path to fighting, stating he pursued mixed martial arts after his military service. He felt compelled to take the opportunity.
He felt if he didn’t try his hand at a potential MMA career, he’d regret it.
