UFC lightweight Beneil Dariush is riding an eight-fight winning streak in one of the sport’s toughest divisions. Dariush has waited patiently for his chance at UFC gold, and feels that, if he can get past former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 289 next month, his number must come up. If it doesn’t, Dariush told MMAFighting, he might have to take a leaf out of Justin Gaethje’s book, and “riot”.
Supposedly, Dariush has been promised a title shot if he can beat Charles Oliveira. “I’m going to take them at their word. If it’s not so, I’m going to take Justin Gaethje’s advice and possibly riot.”
Beneil Dariush Will “Riot” If UFC Withholds Title Shot
Despite this, Dariush knows that the organization prioritizes entertainment above all else. “UFC is not the type to often give their word. Before I fought Mateusz [Gamrot], I had a feeling they weren’t going to give me the title shot, so I said, ‘Hey, if I beat this guy, I get a title shot right?’ They said, ‘We don’t know,’ basically.
This time when I was talking to them, they said if I beat Charles Oliveira, I am the No. 1 contender. It’s not often they give me their word. This time they did.”
Dariush was somewhat confused by this, because he thought he was already the no.1 contender at 155 pounds. “To be honest with you, I thought I was the No. 1 contender already, but they didn’t think so.
That’s basically what it was. My whole thing was, Dustin’s had two title shots, I believe, and he was a former interim champ. He’s had his opportunities at the belt and he’s currently on a one-fight win streak against Michael Chandler. He had a great fight with Michael Chandler, but he’s had his opportunities.
At this point, I really believe the entertainment part is a much bigger factor than rankings. The rankings can be moved based on your entertainment value. That part sucks, but I also understand it’s a business, and in order for a business to continue, it has to be profitable. That’s what the UFC is doing.”
Another factor in whether Dariush gets his chance is the outcome of a barn-burning headliner between former title contenders Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. Despite this, Dariush remains a fan of the matchup.
“The fight itself, I love the fight. What a fight. These guys, they have such a good style, both of them, and the way it clashes, I think it’s going to be fireworks just like the last fight. The fight, I love.
The consequences of that fight, those might be a little bit more troublesome for me, but overall I love the fight.”
