Where is Beneil Dariush from? Nationality, ethnicity, and more

This weekend, Beneil Dariush makes his long-awaited octagon return since a crushing loss to Arman Tsarukyan in December 2023. He will take on streaking Brazilian Renato Moicano at UFC 311. While Moicano belongs to Brazil, a nation with a rich MMA history, what is Beneil Dariush's nationality?

---

Where is Beneil Dariush from?

Born in Urmia, Iran, Dariush is an Iranian-born fighter, whose family moved to the United States when he was nine years old, making him an American citizen. He now resides in Yorba Linda, California, with his wife and children. While he is Iranian by birth, Dariush is not Persian like a large portion of Iran's population.

So, what is Beneil Dariush's ethnicity? As it turns out, he is Assyrian, a Semitic group that is almost exclusively Christian, compared to the majority Shia Muslim population in Iran. As a devout Christian himself, Dariush frequently punctuates his post-fight interviews by touching on his faith and calling on others to do the same.

Regarding his fight this weekend, he will be faced with questions, as will Renato Moicano as well. Ever since the Iranian-American's consecutive first-round TKO losses to Charles Oliveira and ArmanTsarukyan, some fans have wondered whether he, now 35 years old, has unknowingly entered the early stages of a career downswing.

However, talk of a potential decline may very well be premature, as Dariush was previously on an eight-fight win streak. Meanwhile, Moicano has also been through ups and downs in his professional MMA career, and a bout with Dariush represents the most difficult litmus test of his career since his bout with featherweight legend Jose Aldo Jr. years ago.

---

When Beneil Dariush was disallowed to walk out with Assyrian / American flag

The UFC's outfitting policy in partnership with Reebok, enforced in 2015, permitted fighters to carry their countries' flags for weigh-ins, walk-outs, and post-fight celebrations. However, flags of states, provinces, and other territories were not permitted unless noted in the guidelines or permitted by the UFC equipment department.

Although the present-day Assyrian community is believed to be the ethnic and genetic descendants of the Bronze Age Assyria, it does not have a separate nation of its own. As a result, Beneil Dariush was not allowed to walk out with an Assyrian-American flag for his UFC 199 fight against James Vick.

Dariush, who won the bout by a first-round KO, expressed his disappointment in an Instagram post, writing:

"I was not allowed to walk out with my Assyrian/American flag because of the new UFC policy which only allows countries currently recognized. Even though I was very disappointed with the new ruling, the UFC staff told me that they would review the Assyrian flag and let me know if I would be allowed to use it next time. I was grateful I was able to take this picture after my fight."