‘I Gain Nothing From This Fight’

Beneil Dariush is about to compete in the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) main event of his 22-fight run in the promotion.

UFC 289 didn’t go as planned for the No. 4-ranked Lightweight contender, Dariush, against the former champion, Charles Oliveira, in June 2023. Unfortunately for the perennial 155-pound staple, Dariush fell short in the bout, suffering a first round technical knockout loss (watch highlights). He looks to get back in the win column starting with Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Austin this weekend (Sat., Dec. 2, 2023).

A win for Tsarukyan would be the biggest of his still-building career, extending his current winning streak to three. Despite his spot as the No. 8-ranked contender in the division, Tsarukyan doesn’t have much value in his name other than a win in the eyes of the rebounding Dariush.

“In terms of status, nothing. I gain nothing from this fight,” Dariush said at UFC Austin media day. “I know if I win I don’t think my ranking will change. If I lose, I’m definitely gonna get dropped quite a bit. But I’m an athlete who loves to compete and I like to compete with the best people in the world, and I believe he’s one of the best people in the world. That’s what motivates me.

“It’s not an issue of rankings, it’s not an issue of status where it’s gonna leave me, I want to make sure before I retire I fight the best guys in the world and I think I’m doing that,” he concluded.

Before the loss to Oliveira, Dariush amassed the strongest winning streak of his 28-fight career (22-5-1), defeating eight opponents in succession. The Yorba Linda, California-born Dariush finished half of those victories, scoring two submissions and two knockouts.

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