Benoit Saint Denis military: Did UFC 299 star serve the French army?

Benoit Saint Denis had a five-year-long military career before joining MMA. Here is everything you need to know about the French UFC star.

Benoit Saint Denis military: Did UFC 299 star serve the French army?

Benoit Saint-Denis fighting career is exceptional (via LinkedIn)

Benoît Saint-Denis is a French MMA fighter who served in the French Army Special Forces Command’s 1st Marine Infantry Paratroopers Regiment. Saint-Denis served in West Africa and Mali, fighting terrorist groups like Boko Haram and reclaiming an airport in Timbuktu. He also served as a Special Air Service (SAS) operator in Mali.

Saint-Denis’s nickname is “God of War.” He received the Medal of the Nation’s Gratitude and the Combatant’s Cross in September 2017. Saint-Denis left the army after five years of service in March 2019. He was a member of the 1st Marine Infantry Paratroopers Regiment, a unit of the French Army Special Forces Command.

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He served in Mali during the war and more generally in West Africa, fighting terrorist groups. Saint-Denis has a tattoo of the dagger from the French Special Forces, and a Templar cross reminding the security missions he carried out in Mali.

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When did Benoit Saint Denis join MMA?

Benoit Saint Denis began training in MMA in 2017 to improve his skills as a SAS operator. His father was a French Foreign Legion officer practicing judo at a good level, and his mother was a teacher. He practiced judo from the age of 8 to 16 and earned a black belt. He also played rugby union in his youth.

Benoit Saint Denis in the UFC
Benoit Saint Denis in the UFC (Image via Imago)

In 2019, he ended his contract with the French military and planned to train full-time to break into the highest level of MMA within two years. He made his UFC debut in 2021 on short notice against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos and lost the fight via unanimous decision. He now has a fight coming up against Dustin Poirier this March at the Kesaya Center in Miami, Florida. They will fight as a part of the co-main event at UFC 299.

Is Benoit Saint-Denis a married man?

Benoît Saint-Denis was born in December 1995 in Nîmes, France. He is the eldest of five brothers. His father is a French Army officer and his mother is a teacher. Saint-Denis has a brother who is a doctor and his wife is a police officer.

Benoit Saint Denis and Laura Saint-Denis
Benoit Saint-Denis and Laura Saint-Denis (via Instagram)

Saint-Denis and his wife have a child together, a baby girl born in July 2023. They have mentioned her as “Princess of War” in their Instagram posts. Saint Denis married his wife Laura Saint-Denis in August 2022. They wed shortly before his UFC Fight Night 209 bout. Saint-Denis’s estimated net worth is approximately around $300,000.

FAQs

Did Benoit Saint Denis serve in the military?

Benoit Saint-Denis served in the French Army from 2014 to 2019.

Is Benoit Saint Denis married?

Benoit Saint Denis is married to Laura Saint-Denis.

What is Benoit Saint Denis’ nickname?

Benoit Saint Denis’ nickname is God of War.

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