Joel Álvarez injured, withdraws from UFC 315

Bad news for MMA fans: Asturian Joel Álvarez , better known as “The Álvarez Phenomenon,” has had to withdraw from the highly anticipated fight against Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 315 due to a hand injury.

The fight was scheduled for May 10 in Montreal and was expected to be one of the highlights of the card, pitting two of the UFC's most dangerous lightweight fighters against each other. Unfortunately, an injury sustained during training forced Joel to announce his withdrawal just days before the event.

A setback for the UFC's top finisher

Joel Álvarez is known for his incredible ability to finish fights: he has 22 professional wins, all by submission or knockout, making him one of the UFC's top finishers . He was coming off a knockout of Drakkar Klose in December 2024 and this fight was going to be his last before officially moving up to welterweight, where he claims to feel stronger and more comfortable.

However, fate has played a trick on him. As he explained on social media, he will need at least three weeks of recovery to heal his injured hand, making his participation in UFC 315 impossible.

And what's next for Joel Álvarez?

Although it's a tough blow, The Phenomenon Álvarez remains clear about his goal: to recover, make the final jump to welterweight, and return to the Octagon as soon as possible. He has stated in recent interviews that he hopes to fight more often in his new division and demonstrate why he is one of the most feared European fighters today.

The injury, though frustrating, doesn't stop his progress. MMA and UFC fans know Joel is resilient and will return soon to continue climbing the rankings.

As we at Knockout Couture say, "If we're here, it's because we fought," so no matter how many obstacles are put in our way, we'll always give our all and move forward.

We will come back stronger, it is God's plan.