Delphine Benouaich Record, stats and next fight

Background

Delphine Benouaich was born on March 21, 1995, in Évry, France. Raised alongside her three brothers, she first trained in boxing and muay thai, winning a French novice boxing title. She holds two master’s degrees in sport science and works as a physical education teacher alongside her fighting career. She later turned to grappling after a move, before shifting to MMA in 2018 due to the lack of a dedicated grappling gym in her new city.

Benouaich quickly made her mark on the international amateur scene. At the 2022 IMMAF European Championships, she won a bronze medal. She turned professional in 2024, at age 29, with the Fight Industrie organization.

Professional MMA Career

Benouaich fought her first professional bout on March 15, 2024, for the French organization King of Fighters, defeating Gracy Maia by TKO. She went on to win four more fights on the French circuit, including victories over Amina Mukhamed, Marta Amigo Abeledo, Maristela Alves do Nascimento and Anita Bekus. On December 14, 2024, she suffered her first defeat, a unanimous decision loss to Brazil’s Naizi Cantanhede, a fight later marked by Cantanhede’s failed post-fight drug test, though the organization did not overturn the result to a no contest.

Benouaich then signed with Ares Fighting Championship and made her promotional debut on May 16, 2025, in Paris, defeating Mileide Simplicio by TKO. After a split-decision loss to Ingrid Silva in September 2025, she won on December 13, 2025, against Lindsey Payne by guillotine choke submission, improving her record to seven wins and two losses.

In early 2026, Benouaich was selected for season 34 of The Ultimate Fighter, where she reached the strawweight tournament semifinal. Her performances earned her a UFC contract. She made her promotional debut on September 5, 2026, at the Accor Arena in Paris, submitting Spain’s Sofia Montenegro by technical submission in the second round via rear-naked choke, improving her record to eight wins and two losses.

Fighting Style

Benouaich builds her game on a striking foundation from boxing and muay thai, complemented by grappling. Her record splits between four wins by KO or TKO, two by submission and two by decision, reflecting an ability to finish fights both standing and on the ground. She is part of a wave of French fighters who arrived in the UFC in 2026, alongside Noah Gugnon and Matthieu Letho Duclos.