Beneil Dariush isn’t going to compromise his morals for a title shot.
For years the UFC lightweight division has been sorting itself out. With champion changes and title contenders coming and going it seems as if one man is left looking in from the outside. Beneil Dariush is riding an eight-fight winning streak in the UFC lightweight division. Fans have been calling for him to get a title shot for a while now but so far that coveted number-one contender slot has been just out of reach.
Dariush has a big opportunity coming up when he faces former champion, Charles Oliveira. That bout was pushed back after Oliveira suffered an injury and once again Dariush was left waiting. Now these two will meet UFC 289 in June and with a win, Dariush has a promise from the UFC that he will be next in line for the champ.
“The UFC has promised me, this is the first time I’ve ever gotten word from them where they said if you win this fight you’re the number one contender,” he said on the Bisping podcast. “This is the first time from them, I’ve never heard that before, so I have that but then again I understand the fight for the BMF is a title contention fight. It’s just that it takes place after me so don’t think they’ll be able to skip me.”
Beneil Dariush will not conform to the cookie-cutter style of self-promotion
The lightweight division is one of the most stacked in the UFC. With big named stars and exciting fights, there is always a chance for someone to jump the line. Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje will be fighting for a BMF title later this summer. A big win could see either man jump the line and with both fighters being fan favorites and having big personalities that bodes well for them. The trash-talking and calls-outs are not in Dariush’s nature and he doesn’t plan on changing that anytime soon.
“If I get caught up in it, I’m acting like someone I’m not. It’s something I don’t believe in. I don’t like the cookie-cutter way of doing things. You talk a little trash, after post-fight you call somebody out, you do this cookie cutter. I don’t like it. I don’t feel it’s of my nature so I don’t do it,” he said. “That’s kind of what I’ve been preaching, right, just get it done by merit. I think Charles is the the nail in the coffin. If I could beat Charles there’s no denying me anymore.”
Dariush will be gunning for the win and the number one contender spot when he takes on Oliveira on June 10 in Vancouver, Canada. His goal of earning a title shot based on his performance and merit could be a reality with a win over the former champion.
