Beneil Dariush wants the UFC to show him the money.
UFC lightweight contender Beneil Dariush seems to be getting the raw end of his UFC contract. At this time Dariush is one of the most winning fighters in the lightweight division. He is currently riding an eight-fight win streak and has been calling for a title shot. Unfortunately for him, his cries have not been heard by the UFC brass. Now Dariush has found himself in another unlucky situation as his upcoming bout against Charles Oliveira has been pushed back.
Beneil Dariush wants the UFC to show him respect in the form of financial compensation
This proposed fight between Dariush and Oliveira is said to be a title elimination bout. If he wins he will most likely be next for champion Islam Makhachev however in the UFC these things are never a certainty. Dariush wants to ensure that he gets paid what he believes he deserves whether he gets into a title fight or not, since those decisions are in the hand of the UFC matchmakers. He recently spoke to Submission Radio about a meeting he had with UFC matchmaker Hunter Campell and UFC President Dana White.
“I liked the contract you guys gave me and in my contract, if I fight for a title I get paid more,” he said. “And the only reason I’m not fighting for a title is because you guys aren’t giving me the title shot. I think I’ve earned it. So that was kind of my thing. I was like, I want to basically get the purse that I would get for a title fight, basically, because the only reason I’m not in a title fight right now is because you choose not to put me there.”
Dariush seems like an easy-going guy and will go along with whatever the UFC decides, however, the decision to keep him out of a title is costing him and his family money. He believes the UFC is not showing him the respect he deserves and he wants that in the form of an increased fight purse.
“My thing with pay is for the UFC, they show respect with their wallet,” he said. “And I just didn’t feel like I was getting respected and I even told them listen, the difference I’m asking for you guys can donate it for all I care. I just want to see some respect there. This is what I told them and so that was kind of my thing. It was more about respect.”
Dariush went on to explain that he was told that a win would put him in a position to fight Islam Makhachev later this year. It seems the return date for the champion would be October in an event targeted for Abu Dhabi. In the meantime, Dariush will have to defeat Oliveira and then have to wait for the cards to fall in his favor to align himself in his very first title shot.
