Beneil Dariush Confidently Predicts Win Over Michael Johnson

Beneil Dariush is scheduled fight Michael Johnson in the co-main event spot at next Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 73 event. Not only is it a big fight for him, but Beneil Dariush mentioned in an interview Tuesday with MMAjunkie Radio that he is agitated with Johnson.

While Dariush never went into details as to why he’s agitated with Johnson, he did confidently proclaimed, “I’ll beat him everywhere.”

“I’m going to go after him,” Dariush said. “And if the fight goes to the ground, he doesn’t have the same skill set on the ground. Of all the people he’s fought on the ground, I guarantee you, my skill set is much different.

“I’m not saying it’s not going to go to the ground, but at the same time, I’m not going to go out there and say it has to go to the ground. I’m going to fight him. It’s that simple. If he wants to trade hands, we’ll trade hands. If he wants to kick, we’ll kick. When it comes down to it, I’ll get that takedown.”

Dariush (11-1) is currently riding a four-fight winning streak with wins over Tony Martin, Carlos Diego Ferreira, Daron Cruickshank and Jim Miller. Two of those wins have come by unanimous decision and two of those wins have come by second-round submission.

“I’m not going in there giving this guy anything,” Dariush said.

UFC Fight Night 73 will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2015 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee and be headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former title challenger Glover Teixeira and Tennessee native Ovince Saint Preux.

The event’s preliminary bouts will air on UFC Fight Pass and Fox Sports 2 while the main card airs on Fox Sports 1. The event will begin at 7 p.m. ET.