“I think about nothing, I am like machine” - Benoit Saint-Denis talks mindset heading into UFC 299 clash against Dustin Poirier

Benoit Saint-Denis recently opened up about his mental preparation ahead of his lightweight clash against Dustin Poirier in the co-main event of UFC 299 this Saturday.

'God of War' is currently the No. 12 ranked UFC lightweight and will be looking to continue his surge up the rankings and get his name in the title picture in the toughest test of his MMA career.

While speaking with ESPN's Brett Okamoto, the 28-year-old revealed what his routine is like before walking out for his fight and mentioned that he devotes his attention to the task at hand. He said:

"We are getting higher in intensity. Higher and higher. The heat is starting to play on the whole body and the mind. And then, I think about nothing, I'm like machine and I just enjoy the moment and let every mistake and everything go right through me like nothing...And I'm just concentrating on one thing is destroying my opponent." [2:30 - 3:11]

It will be interesting to see how Benoit Saint-Denis fares against the former interim lightweight champion as an impressive win would certainly result in the Frenchman closing in on a title shot.

Check out the full interview below:

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Michael Bisping defends Benoit Saint-Denis after video surfaces of lone career loss

Michael Bisping recently came to Benoit Saint-Denis' defense after a video of his lone career loss surfaced on social media as an example for why he won't be able to finish Dustin Poirier at UFC 299.

Casual MMA posted a video of the Frenchman's unanimous decision loss to Elizeu dos Santos back in 2021. The post caught the attention of Bisping, who commented by noting that the bout was contested at welterweight and that 'God of War' was a short-notice replacement.

The UFC Hall of Famer mentioned that it's unfair to use the loss to dos Santos as an indicator for his upcoming bout against Poirier. He wrote:

"Worth pointing out that was up a weight class and on short notice. But you’re a casual. Not saying that means he beats Dustin though. It’s a great fight."

Bisping's reaction to tweet regarding Saint-Denis' loss [Image courtesy: @bisping - X]