A major step up in competition is in the works for lightweight contender Beneil Dariush.
A huge lightweight fight is on tap for UFC 262.
MMA Junkie reports that former interim champion Tony Ferguson will take on Beneil Dariush on May 15th at a location to be determined. Current rankings have Dariush at #9 and Ferguson at #5.
Dariush (20-4-1) has won six straight since November of 2018. After recording finishes against Drew Dober, Frank Camacho, Drakkar Klose, and Scott Holtzman, the 31-year-old won a grueling and entertaining three-round rematch with Carlos Diego Ferreira last month. Things were looking bleak for Dariush when he lost by KO to Edson Barboza, drew with Evan Dunham, and was KO’d by Alexander Hernandez, but he’s been superb since then and has a real shot at finally competing for a belt.
Ferguson (25-5) may unfortunately never challenge for the undisputed championship even after his unforgettable 12-fight winning streak. At the moment, ‘El Cucuy’ is on a two-fight losing skid after Justin Gaethje TKO’d him in their interim title fight last May, then Charles Oliveira dominated him over three rounds at UFC 256 in December. At 37 years old and a lot of mileage on the odometer, this is essentially Ferguson’s last stand as a relevant contender.
UFC 262 does not have a main event at the moment. Dariush vs. Ferguson is undoubtedly the biggest matchup booked for this card thus far.