Beneil Dariush's journey in the UFC is a testament to resilience and the unpredictable nature of the sport. He once dominated the octagon with an incredible 8-fight win streak in the fiercely competitive lightweight division. But here's where it gets controversial: despite his impressive run, a title shot remained elusive.
This weekend, the spotlight shines on UFC 322, hosted at Madison Square Garden, promising one of the year's most electrifying fight cards. The event boasts two title fights, with former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev vying for a second gold belt against welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena in the main event. In the co-headliner, the world's top female fighters, Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili, will battle for the flyweight title.
Adding to the excitement, Beneil Dariush, a former top-3 contender, is set to face Benoit Saint-Denis in a lightweight bout. Coming off a win against Renato Moicano at UFC 317, Dariush's recent history includes a remarkable winning streak.
Dariush's impressive streak included victories over formidable opponents like Tony Ferguson and Mateusz Gamrot. After a shocking knockout loss to Alexander Hernandez in 2018, Dariush bounced back with an eight-fight winning streak. At the time, this was the longest active streak in the lightweight division, often regarded as the UFC's most challenging weight class.
And this is the part most people miss: Dariush's streak surpassed all other fighters in the lightweight division at the time. Currently, Paddy Pimblett holds the longest active win streak at 155 lbs with seven consecutive wins, just one short of Dariush's record, not counting Makhachev, who has since moved out of the division.
During his run, Dariush defeated notable fighters such as Thiago Moises, Drew Dober, Frank Camacho, Drakkar Klose, Scott Holtzman, and Diego Ferreira. He nearly finished the legendary Tony Ferguson by heel hook at UFC 262, but Ferguson survived and ultimately lost by decision.
In his eighth consecutive win, Dariush ended Mateusz Gamrot's four-fight win streak at UFC 280, where Gamrot had just defeated the current No. 1 contender, Arman Tsarukyan.
The abrupt end: Dariush's winning streak came to a halt when Charles Oliveira knocked him out at UFC 289 in 2023. Despite his dominant performances, Dariush never received a title opportunity.
In a recent interview, Dariush expressed his frustration, stating that even during his eight-fight win streak, he never felt a title shot was within reach. Now, he's focused on his upcoming fight against Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 322.
Dariush is currently ranked #9 in the lightweight division, while his opponent, Benoit Saint-Denis, holds the #13 spot.
What do you think? Do you believe Dariush deserved a title shot during his impressive winning streak? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
