UFC
Top ranked UFC lightweight timelines return and opponent: “Let’s fight”
Beneil Dariush (right) after his fight against Tony Ferguson. Photo: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
No. 4 ranked lightweight Beneil Dariush rides an impressive eight-fight winning streak that goes back to March 2018. At UFC 280, he defeated the tough Mateusz Gamrot to put himself in a good position to fight for the belt.
However, when promotion decided to book the new champion Islam Makhachev against dominant featherweight title holder Alexander Volkanovski, the 33-year-old was out of the title picture again.
“I don’t know what UFC’s game plan is for me,” Dariush said in an recent interview with the UFC. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to fight for that belt. I have the option of waiting and fighting the winner, but if Volkanovski wins and decides to defend his featherweight belt, I might end up waiting a whole year and maybe I end up fighting in 2024. I don’t think there is anybody who can jump in front of me right now, but my job is winning fights, so let’s fight Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira. March is a good timetable for me.”
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Beneil Dariush: “I could step into greatness”
As the new year begins, there’s plenty of top ranked lightweights to fight. Besides Oliveira and Poirier, No. 3 ranked Justin Gaethje, No. 5 ranked Michael Chandler and No. 6 ranked Rafael Fiziev all stand without opponents.
“At this moment as we start 2023, my legacy is a question mark because there are two ways it could go,” Dariush said. “If I continue to fight the toughest guys – I don’t necessarily mean that in terms of the rankings – and I defeat them, I could step into greatness.”
The 33-year-old basically just wants to test himself against the best fighters possible.
“It’s not about money or guaranteeing the title shot, it’s that I want to fight the best guys in the world. I think Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira are those guys.”
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