Beneil Dariush Injuries: The Lightweight Contender’s Ruined Chance That Cost Him Title Shot

UFC star Beneil Dariush is at a crucial juncture in his career path. A spectacularly earned win against a top contender is the only missing piece in his push for the title. While the lightweight fighter never shied away from agreeing to any fight the promotion threw his way, he missed one of the most critical fights in his career due to an injury. Despite the mishap, the Iran-born American fighter focuses on upcoming opportunities rather than past ones.

Beneil Dariush Injuries 

The 34-year-old fighter maintained peak fitness levels since marking his UFC debut in 2014. Markedly, a fighter with a zeal to prove his worth in the Octagon, he constantly fought multiple fights in a year. Only on two accounts, he had to drop the scheduled fights as injuries forced him out.

The BJJ ace pulled out of the fight against Drakkar Klose at UFC Fight Night 155 on July 13, 2019, with an undisclosed injury. While the exact extent of the injury is not known, he made a quick comeback within 3 months.

The second and most notable injury Dariush suffered was a broken fibula in Feb. 2022.

Beneil Dariush Broken leg 

The surging contender was booked to face Islam Makhachev on February 26, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 202. The clash with title implications couldn’t materialize as Dariush withdrew from the event due to an ankle injury.

As reported by ESPN, the unfortunate injury that derailed Dariush’s title push occurred during a training session. Reportedly, he lost his balance after tangling up his foot on the mat and his weight came down awkwardly.

After consulting multiple medical experts, the #4 ranked lightweight decided to stick to physical therapy instead of resorting to surgery.

In an interview with Fantasy Football Counselor, providing relief to his fans, he said, “I broke my leg, the fibula bone, small bone in your leg. I’m somewhat back to training. It’s mostly physical therapy, but I’m getting back into training.”

“I haven’t started going live yet, which is the thing that’s gonna let me know where I’m at. If I’m ready to fight, when I’m ready to fight,” he added later.

Why was Beneil Dariush forced out of UFC’s main event vs Islam Makhachev? 

The 22-4 record holder had high hopes when matched with the Dagestani fighter, but soon those were dashed with his leg injury. He had to drop the fight after sustaining the unfortunate injury.

Read More: Beneil Dariush Reveals Major Behind-the-Scene Talks With Dana White’s Aide and Top UFC Exec Ahead of Charles Oliveira Fight at UFC 289

Ali Abdelaziz, who manages both fighters, weighed in and told ESPN, “I was heartbroken for Beneil. He worked his as* off for this fight.” 

Beneil Dariush’s next fight 

Dariush, who is in a red hot form with an 8-win streak, squares off against former UFC champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 289. The pair also share a history as both have been booked twice in the past, but the fight always falls apart due to one reason or another.

The pair were expected to exchange blows at UFC 288 but the fight ran into troubles after ‘do Bronx’ suffered an injury. The promotion rescheduled the showdown at UFC 289 on June 10, 2023, at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

However, Dariush seems to be on the right side of things this time. He claims to have the backing of the UFC top brass to fit him into the title picture. He said, “I spoke with Hunter [Campbell] when we rebooked this fight and that’s what they said. I would be number one contender.”

Do you believe it is due to his gritty and fierce attitude Beneil Dariush is still pushing at the top? Who do you think will come on top between him and the Brazilian fighter? Let us know in the comments below.

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