Beneil Dariush targets title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 in October: ‘I think it’ll work out great’
Laying out plans for his first championship siege under the banner of the UFC later this year, surging lightweight contender, Beneil Dariush plans to “absolutely dominate” former champion, Charles Oliveira at UFC 289 in June – before turning around and fighting Islam Makhachev for gold at UFC 294 in October.
Dariush, the current #4 ranked lightweight contender, is slated to co-headline UFC 289 in two weeks’ time – as the promotion returns to Vancouver, British Columbia – taking on Sao Paulo finisher, Oliveira in an expected title-eliminator at the weight class.
In the midst of an impressive seven-fight winning run, Iran-born contender, Beneil Dariush most recently competed at UFC 280 back in October of last year, landing a unanimous decision win over former two-weight KSW champion, Mateusz Gamrot in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The dominant decision win came off the back of other standout performances against the likes of former interim gold holder, Tony Ferguson, Diego Ferreira, Drakkar Klose, Drew Dober, and Thiago Moises.
Beneil Dariush eyes October turnaround against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294
Reacting to backing from Makhachev for a future rescheduled title fight, Dariush, who saw a fractured fibula rule him from a matchup with the Russian in February of last year, now plans to turnaround and fight the gold holder in the Middle East at UFC 294 in October.
“People will send me, you know, short clips of him (Islam Makhachev) saying that he thinks I’m gonna win the fight [against Charles Oliveira], and things like that,” Beneil Dariush told MMA Junkie. “It’s great. It’s building the fight right now, right?”
“So, Lord willing, I beat Charles (Oliveira) and we make the move back to Abu Dhabi and we have that fight [with Islam Makhachev] in Abu Dhabi. I think it’ll work out great if I could make the turnaround [in October], with no injuries or nothing like that.
Predicting a dominant victory over former champion, Oliveira en route to a title offing with Makhachev in the final quarter of this year, Dariush claims the Brazilian is likely “lacking desire” ahead of their UFC 289 battle.
“I think he (Charles Oliveira) didn’t start his camp when he should have,” Beneil Dariush said. “And then tried to catch up and probably overtrained, and that’s how he got injured.”
“I just think comfort is an enemy for athletes like us, and I think he’s (Charles Oliveira) gotten really comfortable. Obviously, he’s a wealthy guy now and he’s living good. I think those are things that can cause you some problems – cause you to lack desire, basically. I think that’s something that could take place in his life.”
