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Benoît Saint-Denis Blitzes Beneil Dariush With 16-Second KO to Open UFC 322 at MSG

Dariush missed weight to make it a catchweight, and Saint-Denis’ one-punch finish strengthened calls for his move toward lightweight contention.

Overview

  • Saint-Denis ended the fight 16 seconds into Round 1 with a left hand on the break, prompting a swift stoppage from referee Herb Dean.
  • The matchup was the UFC 322 main-card opener at Madison Square Garden and aired on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
  • Dariush weighed in at 157.2 pounds, was fined 20% of his purse, and the bout proceeded at catchweight.
  • The French finisher closed a third straight stoppage win in 2025 and said he is chasing both the BMF belt and the lightweight title.
  • At 16 seconds, the knockout ranks among the fastest in UFC lightweight history, and Dariush has now lost three of his past four by first-round KO.