LAS VEGAS – Drakkar Klose sees Beneil Dariush as a sitting target.
Klose (11-1-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) takes on Dariush (17-4-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC) on the UFC 248 main card Saturday looking to notch his fourth win in a row. Although Klose hasn’t scored a finish in almost five years, he envisions taking out Dariush, who’s last two losses have come by knockout.
“He’s real flat-footed, he’s slow on the feet, he’s real chinny,” Klose told MMA Junkie at Thursday’s media day. “He’s almost visited Jesus a couple of times. I’m not trying to sit him there right now, but he’s been on the doorstep.”
The pair originally was scheduled to fight last July, but an injury forced Dariush out, and the fight was subsequently scrapped.
An unamused Klose expressed his frustration towards Dariush for pulling out at the time, but just days ahead of their rescheduled bout he’s happy to see him make it this time.
“I’m glad he showed up,” Klose said. “I guess those toes really hurt him last time, so I’m just glad he’s here, and we’re gonna put on a show Saturday night.”
But it’s all water under the bridge for Klose who’s taken a different approach this time around.
“I’ve been going to a sports psychologist, and we’ve been talking a lot about partnership,” Klose said. “I need Beneil to show up and bring the best out of me, so I hope he’s injury free, had a great camp, because it’s just going to make me better.
“Just mentally, I used to go into fights thinking of it as a war, but now it’s a partnership. He’s only going to make me better – win, lose, or draw. I’m just going to get better from the experience.”
UFC 248 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
Check out MMA Junkie’s full UFC 248 pre-fight interview with Klose in the video above.
Drakkar Klose aims to finish 'flat-footed' and 'chinny' Beneil Dariush at UFC 248
