Beneil Dariush was not taking his frustrations out on the UFC matchmakers after all.
After coming out on top against Carlos Diego Ferreira in their UFC Vegas 18 matchup last night, Dariush seemingly took aim at them for not giving him or Ferreira a top-10 opponent but instead, making them face each other.
“I’ve got to say something, this is really bothering me,” Dariush said in his post-fight interview. “Diego should have fought a top five guy. I should have fought a top five guy. We have tough win streaks. We fought everybody. We never say no to anybody.
“But instead of giving us a top five guy, Diego I still think he deserves a top 10 guy. I’d feel a little disrespected if I was Diego. I know I feel a little disrespected.”
However, Dariush was actually addressing the top-10 rather than Sean Shelby and the rest of the matchmakers as he clarified his comments later on.
“I didn’t elaborate properly,” Dariush said (via MMA Junkie). “My issue is with these guys looking at me as high risk, low reward. These top-10 guys look at me like I’m high risk, low reward and they want nothing to do with me. That’s just a little bit disappointing.
“I appreciate Sean Shelby. He’s called me every time and he’s talked to me and he’s explained his situation. I was a little off about that, so I have to say sorry to Sean. Sorry, Sean.”
However, while Dariush wants a higher-ranked opponent, he also prefers the current system where the higher-ranked fighters can decline lower-ranked fighters — despite it not benefiting him for the moment.
“I come from a totalitarian country [Iran] and I like capitalism,” Dariush added. “I like where you get to have decisions and I get to have decisions. So I’m going to go with a no on that one. I think everyone deserves to have a voice in the matter.”
With his win over Ferreira, Dariush should enter the top 10 of the UFC lightweight rankings next week.
What do you make of his complaints?