Athletes
Beneil Dariush: ‘I’m Still One Of The Top Dogs’
Lightweight Beneil Dariush Faces Rising Star Arman Tsarukyan In His First UFC Main Event At UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs Tsarukyan At The Moody Center In Austin, Texas
In June, UFC lightweight Beneil Dariush was riding an eight-fight win streak – the longest of his professional career – into a pivotal three-round affair against former 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira.
A win would’ve all but guaranteed Dariush his first shot at a UFC title against current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. But on fight night, Dariush felt out of sync, and the Brazilian superstar was able to get the job done in less than a round.
“Fight day, it was just not me,” Dariush said reflecting on his fight against Oliveira. “I didn’t show up, I didn’t perform well, and I can’t think of anything I did well in the fight. It’s so difficult to watch, but I’ve watched it so many times and I basically try to get better from it.
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“It’s been a difficult process; losing is never easy. But I also know I’m capable of much more than that, so that’s the only way I can look at it to come back stronger and make a case for myself again.”
At Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, California, Dariush is mentored by Rafael Cordeiro, who’s coached the No. 4 ranked lightweight for the last 15 years.
“I always tell people [Cordeiro’s] like a father figure,” Dariush said of his longtime coach. “He’s been giving me advice for as long as I can remember. Coaching, life, faith, all of it.”
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For the last few months, the duo orchestrated a gameplan for Dariush’s latest challenge: a clash with rising star Arman Tsarukyan. If he can get his hand raised this weekend, Dariush believes he’s back to where he was at the start of 2023: one win away from fighting for the UFC lightweight title.
“My whole goal in my career is to fight the best guys in the world,” Dariush said. “[Tsarukyan’s] one of those guys. I think he’s obviously the future of this division. To be able to fight guys like that is a privilege for me, and I want to step up and remind everybody that I’m still one of the top dogs.”
This Saturday, Dariush can do just that, and on a bigger stage than he ever has before. For the first time in his 22-fight UFC career, Dariush will feature in the main event.
“It feels like a long time coming, but to me, it’s a privilege,” Dariush said. “I even messaged [UFC Chief Business Officer] Hunter Campbell and I told him it’s a privilege to headline this card, especially if you look at the card itself. I think there’s so many fighters that could’ve headlined this card.”
“It wasn’t on my ‘to do’ list because my goal is to be a champion, but it’s one of those things where, as you become a champion, it just happens. It’s a step in the process.”
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Dariush faces an up-and-comer in Tsarukyan who’s won 19 of his last 21 fights. His only two defeats during that span were decision losses against Makhachev and Mateusz Gamrot. Both fights earned Tsarukyan Fight of the Night honors.
While Dariush didn’t dive into his game plan or what fans should expect to see once these two athletes meet in the center of the Octagon on Saturday, he praised Tsarukyan’s well-rounded skill set. The Armenian has eight knockouts and five submission victories to his name, including a third-round TKO victory against short-notice opponent Joaquim Silva back in June.
“I think he’s excellent,” Dariush said of Tsarukyan. “His fight with Gamrot, that fight could’ve gone either way; it’s one of my favorite fights to watch. He’s an excellent fighter. He’s fun to watch and I look forward to fighting him.
“I think he’s hungry. He might be the hungriest guy in the Top 10. Fighting someone like that motivates me quite a bit. And his skill set at such a young age, it’s incredible.”
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Having lost focus ahead of his matchup with Oliveira earlier this year, Dariush spends fight week alongside his wife and two daughters, who help him stay concentrated on one of the most important fights of his professional career.
“[My family being here] puts me into focus,” Dariush said. “If I’m on my phone all day by myself here, you kind of lose focus of what’s important, so having my family around keeps me focused on what’s important and why I’m here. And I get to celebrate the victory with them. If I lose, they’re with me. It doesn’t lessen the blow, but they’re still with me and they’re the people I want with me.”
UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs Tsarukyan took place live from Moody Center in Austin, Texas on December 2, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
