Former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has laughed off predictions of a dominant display from Beneil Dariush en route to a victory at UFC 289 this weekend, denying the Iranian will find it all his own way in their co-main event slot.
Oliveira, the current #1 ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since October of last year, most recently headlining UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, UAE – seeing his 12-fight winning run halted against Islam Makhachev in the pair’s vacant lightweight title fight.
On the same card, Kings MMA staple, Dariush managed to secure his seventh consecutive victory – landing himself a one-sided unanimous decision success against former two-weight KSW champion, Mateusz Gamrot in the Middle East – earning this weekend’s title-eliminator against former gold holder, Oliveira.
And breaking down this weekend’s showdown with Oliveira, Dariush has predicted a one-sided success against the Brazilian – in rather dominant fashion to boot, citing a lack of “hunger” for the former.
“I think he (Charles Oliveira) didn’t start his camp when he should have,” Beneil Dariush said. “And then tried to catch up and probably overtrained, and that’s how he got injured.”
“I just think comfort is an enemy for athletes like us, and I think he’s (Charles Oliveira) gotten really comfortable. Obviously, he’s a wealthy guy now and he’s living good. I think those are things that can cause you some problems – cause you to lack desire, basically. I think that’s something that could take place in his life.”
Charles Oliveira laughs off Beneil Dariush’s prediction for their UFC 289 fight
Laughing off Dariush’s prediction of a one-sided victory this weekend, Oliveira has insisted he will be the one leaving Vancouver, British Columbia with a win in tow.
“(Beneil) Dariush is a great fighter,” Charles Oliveira said during a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. “He’s one of the best in the world. If he thinks he will dominate me, he is wrong. I will be the one leaving with my hand raised.”
Without a victory since May of last year, Oliveira managed to submit former interim gold holder, Justin Gaethje with a one-sided opening round rear-naked choke in the main event of UFC 274 in Phoenix, Arizona.