Former para in the octagon on Saturdays, churchgoer on Sundays – Technologist

Among the elite mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, Benoît Saint Denis has an unusual profile. Firstly, because he’s French, a rarity in the upper echelons of MMA. Secondly, because the 28-year-old is all at the same time a former member of the special forces, a Catholic father, and a discreet celebrity. Finally, because he’s what’s known as an “action fighter,” one of those who put pressure on their opponent at all times, and are not afraid to expose themselves, at the risk of taking a nasty blow. From intense excitement or disgust for violence, his performances leave no one indifferent.

The native of Nîmes, southern France, whose face has been scarred by a lifetime of fighting – in every sense of the word – has a five-round date with the American fighter Dustin Poirier in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, March 9. It’s a chance for him to take his career to the next level. His opponent is one of the big names in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), MMA’s biggest league. A victory would give Benoît Saint Denis a chance to fight for the lightweight belt (under 70 kg), the highest category.

His team has kept a tight lid on communications until the March 9 event, reserving his appearances for the broadcast media in recent weeks. But according to his wife, Laura Saint Denis, he has always believed it was possible. “On Sundays, we have a little ritual,” said the former policewoman who now manages her husband’s career. “We have brunch while watching the UFC from the night before. Then we go to mass. In 2019, we were watching the replay of Justin Gaethje against Dustin Poirier. Then Benoît says to me: ‘You’ll see, in three or four years, I’m going to fight these guys.'”

The fact remains that to earn the right to duel this kind of tough guy, winning is not enough. Being successful in the UFC also means having fans willing to pay to see you. So the Frenchman needed to become a nascent star. Before Laura Saint Denis, it was Daniel Woirin, his coach, who played the role of crafting his persona. “At first, I was even losing money training him,” remembered Woirin. He knows Benoît Saint Denis by heart, and he was the first to think about building an image around his fighter with a gentlemanly aura.

Patriotism and religion

Highlighting his protégé’s military background was a no-brainer. “My son mixed his entry music,” said Woirin. “It’s a mix of commando chants and ‘Seine-Saint-Denis style’ by NTM [a French rap group from the 1990s]. It was important that, when people heard it, they thought ‘ah, that’s BSD [Benoît Saint Denis].'” But the man who calls himself “God of war” isn’t really cut out for the limelight. He goes straight to the point, and as he gets more comfortable in interviews, he chooses to put himself forward as he is.

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