Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight contenders Arman Tsarukyan and Beneil Dariush will clash TONIGHT (Sat., Dec. 2, 2023) at UFC Austin inside Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
Since his short-notice debut against Islam Makhachev, it was immediately apparent that Tsarukyan was going to be a world-class Lightweight. The young talent has consistently impressed and improved since then, climbing into the Top 10 and securing his first shot against a Top 5 opponent here. He has nowhere near the level of experience as his opponent, however. Dariush has been slugging it out with the best of the best for the better part of a decade, but he’s still searching for his first UFC title shot.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:
Arman Tsarukyan
Record: 20-3
Key Wins: Damir Ismagulov (UFC Vegas 66), Joel Alvarez (UFC Vegas 49), Christos Giagos (UFC Vegas 37), Olivier Aubin-Mercier (UFC 240), Matt Frevola (UFC 257)
Key Losses: Mateusz Gamrot (UFC Vegas 57), Islam Makhachev (UFC Fight Night 149)
Keys To Victory: Tsarukyan is as good an athlete as you’ll find at 155 lbs. Strong, fast, and well-conditioned, Tsarukyan is plenty capable of overwhelming opponents with raw physicality.
The skillful wrestling and heavy kicks are really just bonuses.
Stylistically, this is a rough match up for Tsarukyan. He generally wins by throwing opponents to the floor and beating them up, but Dariush is tremendously difficult to take and hold down. He may end up forced to strike far more than he would prefer.
Fortunately, durability and strength count for something on the feet too. Dariush may be the cleaner striker, but Tsarukyan can hold his own in that realm, particularly if he’s letting his right leg fly to the body. Rather than engage in a kickboxing match for too long, I’d like to see Tsarukyan closing the distance and working dirty boxing. If he can shove Dariush into the fence, punch the body, and score with elbows, he doesn’t need to finish takedowns to break him down.
As fatigue sets in, takedowns likely will come much easier.
Beneil Dariush
Record: 22-5-1
Key Wins: Mateusz Gamrot (UFC 280), Carlos Diego Ferreira (UFC Vegas 18), Tony Ferguson (UFC 262), Drakkar Klose (UFC 248), Rashid Magomedov (UFC Fight Night 98), Drew Dober (UFC Fight Night 146)
Key Losses: Charles Oliveira (UFC 289), Edson Barboza (UFC Fight Night 106), Alexander Hernandez (UFC 222), Michael Chiesa (UFC on FOX 19)
Keys to Victory: It’s easy to forget that Dariush started as a jiu-jitsu ace. His Muay Thai has become such a serious strength, and Dariush can also wrestle with the best of them. Opposite Gamrot, he showed himself one of the division’s best counter wrestlers, and those same tactics will be necessary here.
In that bout, Dariush struggled in the first. He tried to fight from the back foot, which allowed Gamrot to set up his takedowns and score some top control time. He still fought off several shots and worked back to his feet quickly, but it was a close round. The dynamic shifted in the second. Dariush started walking his opponent down, firing full power kicks, and forcing reactive shots from Gamrot. Those were easier to shuck off, and the damage quickly began to build.
Dariush has to implement the same strategy tonight. If he can back Tsarukyan up and deny some takedowns, the holes in Tsarukyan’s striking defense will start to show, and Dariush has more than enough power to capitalize.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25127978/1825361361.jpg)
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Bottom Line
One man leaves the cage as a Top 5-ranked contender in the title hunt.
Tsarukyan believes himself the best in the world, and he’s always looked the part of future champion. He’s been begging for this opportunity, and now, it’s time to capitalize. A win puts Tsarukyan in the title conversation, but Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje seemingly being ahead of him still is a problem. Likely, he’ll be one more win away from a shot at gold.
The same is probably true for Dariush. Victory keeps him in the Top 5, but there are two men ahead of him for a shot at Islam Makhachev. Perhaps a win here can finally line him up versus Dustin Poirier, a high-profile match up that’s eluded Dariush in recent years. Whatever the next step is, victory here keeps Dariush’s title dreams alive.
At UFC Austin, Arman Tsarukyan and Beneil Dariush will battle in the main event. Which man has his hand raised?
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Austin fight card right here, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, then the remaining main card balance on ESPN (also on ESPN+) at 7 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Austin: “Dariush vs. Tsarukyan” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.