Benoit Saint Denis delivered a dominant performance to defeat late replacement opponent Kyle Prepolec, kicking off the main card at UFC 315 in commanding fashion.
Originally scheduled to face Joel Alvarez, Saint Denis instead took on the returning Prepolec, who was hoping for a more successful outcome after a brief run in the UFC a few years prior. Although Prepolec displayed significant toughness throughout the bout, Saint Denis eventually overwhelmed him, securing a fight-ending arm triangle choke.
Prepolec tapped out at the 2:35 mark of the second round, allowing Saint Denis to return to the win column after suffering two consecutive defeats.
“Everybody, thank you Montreal,” Saint Denis addressed the crowd afterward. “It`s an honor and a privilege to fight here. Mateusz Gamrot, Dan Hooker, Justin Gaethje, I`m here. Gamrot, if you are looking for an opponent, I respect you but I`m going to bring violence.”
Within 20 seconds of the opening bell, Saint Denis charged forward and secured a takedown. Prepolec attempted a kimura submission from bottom in an effort to slow the powerful French lightweight`s assault. Saint Denis quickly advanced his position and began unleashing ground and pound with punches and elbows while Prepolec was trapped defending the onslaught.
A scramble resulted in Saint Denis taking Prepolec`s back and locking in a body triangle, though Prepolec showed resilience and survived the position. Saint Denis pursued a standing rear-naked choke late in the round, but Prepolec defended effectively enough to see the round out.
To start the second round, Prepolec landed a couple of solid punches that immediately got Saint Denis`s attention and brought the Montreal crowd to its feet. Saint Denis responded by pressing Prepolec against the cage and unloading a barrage of punches and elbows.
This sequence led to another takedown, but this time Saint Denis was determined not to let Prepolec recover, transitioning immediately into position to lock in the arm triangle choke. Prepolec`s defense was broken, leaving him no option but to tap out, securing the submission win for Saint Denis.
Although this wasn`t the original opponent he was scheduled to face at UFC 315, Saint Denis capitalized on the opportunity and is now targeting opponents higher in the lightweight rankings for his next fight.
