French Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight wrecking machine Benoit Saint-Denis is set to collide with fellow fan favorite Dan Hooker in the co-main event of UFC 325 this weekend (Sat., Jan. 31, 2026) inside Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
While the matchup has mostly been built on mutual respect between two notoriously violent fighters, Hooker turned things up earlier this week by taking a shot at Saint-Denis’ reputation as a finisher.
“Who the f*** has he ever knocked out?” Hooker said. “He gets one knockout, and now he’s a knockout artist?”
Saint-Denis was asked about the remarks during UFC 325 media day and didn’t seem fazed in the slightest, choosing instead to keep his focus on what he believes will be an all-out war.
“Yeah, I mean, he’s going to find out on Saturday/Sunday,” Saint-Denis told reporters. “I don’t know how many knockouts he has in the UFC — I have four. I have a 100 percent finish rate with a mix of submissions and knockouts, so I think he knows…He knows it’s gonna be a battle inside the Octagon. I want to fight the best version of Dan Hooker, and may the better fighter win.”
The comment from Hooker raised some eyebrows, considering Saint-Denis has established himself as one of the division’s most dangerous finishers since joining the promotion. “BSD” has stopped all of his UFC wins, overwhelming opponents with relentless pressure, durability, and a punishing blend of striking and grappling.
Hooker, meanwhile, has long been praised for his toughness and willingness to stand in the pocket, but his finishing numbers have slowed in recent years. He’s recorded just one stoppage since 2022 — a body kick TKO — with his last true knockout coming against James Vick back in 2019 (watch highlights).
Statistics aside, few expect this fight to go the distance. With both men known for marching forward and refusing to take a step back, Saint-Denis vs. Hooker has all the makings of the most violent fight on the card — and exactly why it’s been slotted as UFC 325’s co-main event.
