Beneil Dariush calls for March fight against Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira

If not for Alexander Volkanovski's desire to chase greatness, Beneil Dariush would likely be fighting for the lightweight belt in Islam Makhachev's first title defense. Instead, Volkanovski will now look to become just the fifth double champ in UFC history, while the No.4-ranked lightweight will have to wait for his first career title shot. Dariush shared two lightweight opponents that he would like to face as he awaits a title opportunity.

Speaking to Gavin Porter of UFC.com, Dariush stated:

"I have the option of waiting and fighting the winner, but if Volkanovski wins and decides to defend his featherweight belt, I might end up waiting a whole year and maybe I end up fighting in 2024. I don’t think there is anybody who can jump in front of me right now, but my job is winning fights, so let’s fight Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira. March is a good timetable for me."

The No.4-ranked lightweight added:

"I like fighting. I get bored not fighting. I get bored not preparing for an opponent. This is my job and I want to do it. That’s it. It’s not about money or guaranteeing the title shot, it’s that I want to fight the best guys in the world. I think Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira are those guys."

While Dariush is on an eight-fight win streak that dates back nearly five years, there is no guarantee that he will receive a title opportunity. Defeating a top-ranked opponent like Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira would almost certainly ensure that he faces the winner of the UFC 284 main event.

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Beneil Dariush discusses the direction of his legacy

While Beneil Dariush made his UFC debut just about nine years ago, the No.4-ranked lightweight believes that 2023 will be a legacy-defining year for him. Speaking with Gavin Porter of UFC.com, Dariush stated:

"At this moment as we start 2023, my legacy is a question mark because there are two ways it could go. If I continue to fight the toughest guys - I don’t necessarily mean that in terms of the rankings - and I defeat them, I could step into greatness. If I fail, then my legacy becomes, ‘what if he had done this instead?’ That’s where I’m at."

Dariush has won eight consecutive fights, with the most recent coming against Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280. Despite this, he remains one of the most underrated fighters on the UFC roster.

Check out Beneil Dariush's UFC 280 scorecard below: