Slowly, the pressure is building on the Miami side.
Sunday, around 4:30 a.m. French time, Frenchman Benoît Saint-Denis will face American Dustin Poirier.
Since March 2023 and the clash between Ciryl Gane and Jon Jones, the former member of the French special forces has had an appointment with what could be the biggest fight by a Frenchman in MMA.
Before getting to the heart of the matter, UFC 299 organizes the build-up to this fight.
Before the weigh-in which would take place a little later in the afternoon, the traditional press conference lived up to the event.
🚨 THE FACE TO FACE BETWEEN POIRIER 🇺🇸 AND SAINT DENIS 🇫🇷!!
💥 D-2 before the fight of the year for France!
Our warrior can become a true superstar by defeating this UFC legend!
📺 Saturday at 11:30 p.m. on RMC Sport 2!
pic.twitter.com/JlE5dihes2
— RMC Sport Combat (@RMCSportCombat) March 7, 2024
For the first press conference of his career, the Frenchman was not spoiled.
Booed by the American public, Matt Frevola's stunner in 1′31″ in New York, received a most hostile reception in Miami.
And it didn't end when he first spoke.
His words were drowned out by cries of defiance from American fans.
“It’s a great honor for me to fight Dustin Poirier on this UFC 299 card in his country,” he explained.
I prepared hard to give him the biggest fight possible.
The best fighter will win.
Saturday will be a bloody war.
»
🚨 D-1 BEFORE THIS HUGE WAR!!
🤩 Benoit Saint Denis' first press conference promises us a crazy evening for this #UFC299
📺 Saturday, 11:30 p.m., RMC Sport 2 pic.twitter.com/tjA4S692a6
— RMC Sport Combat (@RMCSportCombat) March 8, 2024
Dustin Poirier replied: “He has guts, you know.
It's going to be war.
This guy has finished his last five opponents.
I'm coming to finish it.
He will do the same.
It's going to be crazy.
Let's enjoy the show.
»
In the event of victory, Saint-Denis would make an even greater impression against an MMA legend, and would continue its crazy progress.