UFC lightweight contender Beneil Dariush may not require surgery on his broken fibula after all, which could speed up his timetable for a return.
Dariush had to pull out of his originally scheduled main event against Islam Makhachev at UFC Vegas 49 just days before the fight. The severity of Dariush’s injury was somewhat unclear after the news broke, but he recently provided an update to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto.
While Dariush opting to move towards physical therapy instead of surgery may be a risky move, it could potentially speed up his return to the cage. Dariush has won seven straight, including most recently against Tony Ferguson at UFC 262.
Many saw Dariush’s fight against Makhachev as a potential No. 1 lightweight contender bout. Makhachev has also been on a lengthy winning streak and is viewed as one of the top grapplers in MMA today.
Shortly after news of Dariush’s withdrawal broke, Bobby Green volunteered to step in and fight Makhachev in his first career UFC main event. Green most recently competed at UFC 271 and earned a unanimous decision win against Nasrat Haqparast.
Dariush could still conceivably undergo surgery with a change of heart and if any potential setbacks occur, but for now he appears focused on a swift return to the lightweight title picture.
Who do you want Beneil Dariush to face in his eventual return to the UFC?
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