Tag: Beneil Dariush

Renato Moicano Admits Disappointment At Beneil Dariush Matchup: ‘I Don’t Think It’s What I Deserve’

At UFC 311, Renato Moicano will look to earn the biggest win of his career by extending his current winning streak to five. “Money” has been on a great run of form since beating Brad Riddell in 2022, stopping Benoit Saint Denis in Paris last September to make a real dent in the lightweight rankings. […]

At UFC 311, Renato Moicano will look to earn the biggest win of his career by extending his current winning streak to five. “Money” has been on a great run of form since beating Brad Riddell in 2022, stopping Benoit Saint Denis in Paris last September to make a real dent in the lightweight rankings.

On his return at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, he will face UFC veteran and 155-pound staple, Beneil Dariush. The #9-ranked contender may be coming off of back-to-back first round knockout losses but suffering setbacks to Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan aren’t major red flags.

This is especially true considering that his loss to Oliveira at UFC 289 broke his eight-fight winning streak which put him within reach of a title shot if he was able to get past “Do Bronx”. With Moicano being one spot behind him in the top 15, it seems that the Brazilian isn’t overjoyed about this particular matchup.

Considering that he already has wins over two other ranked opponents, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see Moicano take on a much higher ranked contender next time out though that’s usually easier said than done when it comes to everything falling into place.

Though he isn’t going to let it affect his preparations and mindset, he was very open and honest during his recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. Moicano often jokes about wanting easy money instead of tough opponents and clearly he considers Dariush someone that falls into the latter category.

“Dariush, he’s a tough fighter. That is not what I was expecting and I don’t think it’s what I deserve, but who gives a f***. It’s a fight. Anything can happen and I don’t care who I’m fighting. I just have to be competitive and keep showing up.”

Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano Joins Stacked Lineup For UFC 311 In Los Angeles

The lineup for the promotion’s first pay-per-view of 2025, UFC 311 in Los Angeles, continues to get stronger. The mixed martial arts will kick off its schedule of numbered events for the new year at the Intuit Dome, where two highly anticipated championship fights and a host of intriguing matchups will go down. And not […]

The lineup for the promotion’s first pay-per-view of 2025, UFC 311 in Los Angeles, continues to get stronger.

The mixed martial arts will kick off its schedule of numbered events for the new year at the Intuit Dome, where two highly anticipated championship fights and a host of intriguing matchups will go down.

And not long after Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov were announced as the two headliners, the card has deepened even further.

Joining the undercard bouts set to play out at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 is a ranked lightweight clash between veteran Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) and the charging Renato Moicano (20-5-1). The fight was announced by the UFC on social media.

For Dariush, UFC 311 will mark his return after sitting out the entirety of 2024 following consecutive knockout losses to Charles Oliveira and Tsarukyan in the year prior. Before those setbacks, the 35-year-old had won eight straight to move to within touching distance of a first title shot.

Moicano, meanwhile, is on the opposite trajectory having won four on the bounce since a decision loss to Rafael dos Anjos in March 2022. After an injury kept him out for over a year post-submission victory over Brad Riddell, the Brazilian has reeled off three triumphs in 2024, most recently battering Benoît Saint Denis in the UFC Paris main event this past September.

With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 311 in Los Angeles on Jan. 18 are as follows:

  • Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (lightweight championship)
  • Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight championship)
  • Ji?í Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
  • Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
  • Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano (lightweight)
  • Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac (heavyweight)
  • Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafarov (bantamweight)
  • Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Clay Carpenter (flyweight)
  • Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
  • Karol Rosa vs. Ailín Pérez (women’s bantamweight)
  • Zachary Reese vs. Sedriques Dumas (middleweight)
  • Payton Talbott vs. Raoni Barcelos (bantamweight)
  • Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira (lightweight)
  • Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj (bantamweight)

Beneil Dariush Contemplated Moving Divisions After Missing A Full Year For The First Time In His Career

Beneil Dariush was originally hoping for a return before the end of the year but with the UFC schedule already looking secured for the remainder of 2024, he’s looking at an early outing in the new year. Though this kind of break isn’t necessarily anything new for fighters, especially if they’ve got injuries to attend […]

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Beneil Dariush was originally hoping for a return before the end of the year but with the UFC schedule already looking secured for the remainder of 2024, he’s looking at an early outing in the new year. Though this kind of break isn’t necessarily anything new for fighters, especially if they’ve got injuries to attend to, it is for him.

Since turning pro back in 2009, Dariush has fought at least once in each consecutive year. Whether he’s fighting twice a year like in 2023 or four times in his debut year with the promotion, the 35-year old has been a consistently active member of the roster.

Alongside some setbacks outside of the cage to deal with, another issue for him is finding the right fights at this stage in his career. Dariush isn’t opposed to fighting rising contenders but at the #8-ranked lightweight, he can’t be giving his spot away for free either.

One of the reasons that he’s now targeting January for his Octagon return is that it takes him a bit more time to prepare for competing at 155-pounds at this stage in his career. In a recent interview with Inside Fighting, he said that moving up a weight class so that he could fight more often and open up new opportunities was even a thought at one point because he wants to be as active as possible.

“It’s been challenging and it’s just weird, you know. I understand you’ll have your ups and downs so I had my ups for a while and now I’m kinda down but like, just not to be able to fight has been weird. I enjoy it so much. I even considered going to 170 just so I can fight more often but I don’t think I’m done with 55 yet so I’ve been trying to really focus on recovery as far as the brain injuries and stuff like that. I want to make sure when I get back into the Octagon, I don’t have to worry about any of that stuff.”

Continue Reading Beneil Dariush Contemplated Moving Divisions After Missing A Full Year For The First Time In His Career at MMA News.

Beneil Dariush Brands Teammate Giga Chikadze The ‘Best In The World When He’s On’ Ahead Of UFC 304

UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze has received a glowing endorsement from his teammate Beneil Dariush ahead of his return this weekend. Chikaze will head to enemy territory for his first assignment of 2024, clashing with England’s own Arnold Allen in the opening fight on the UFC 304 pay-per-view main card at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena […]

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UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze has received a glowing endorsement from his teammate Beneil Dariush ahead of his return this weekend.

Chikaze will head to enemy territory for his first assignment of 2024, clashing with England’s own Arnold Allen in the opening fight on the UFC 304 pay-per-view main card at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena on Saturday.

The Georgian previously had his fast charge toward a title shot violently stalled by Calvin Kattar at the start of 2022, with the brutal nature of that setback keeping him out for 19 months.

But having returned successfully in Singapore last August and defended his spot in the top 10 at 145 pounds against Alex Caceres, “Ninja” has his sights back on those above him in the pecking order in pursuit of a title clash with Ilia Topuria.

And when it comes to the July 27 matchup and any other bout for him in the division, Dariush sees Chikadze at his best as a step above the competition…

Dariush Speaks Highly Of Fellow Kings MMA Standout Chikadze, Including His Grappling

During episode two of the UFC 304 Embedded: Vlog Series, Chikadze can be seen putting in the work alongside lightweight contender Beneil Dariush over at Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, California.

Speaking to the camera, Dariush praised not just Chikadze’s well-known striking, but also his ever-improving grappling game. And with those developments in mind, the veteran 155lber sees the Georgian as featherweight’s top fighter when he’s firing on all cylinders.

“It’s obvious to see how great his striking is, right? But I think the place he’s improved the most is his grappling. I think there’s been a shift in Giga’s mindset,” Dariush said. “His game is just, it’s changed so much since his days in kickboxing. When Giga’s on, he’s the best in the world. We’re gonna show up (at UFC 304) and we’re make sure he’s on.”

With that in mind, perhaps Allen — who is coming off a wrestling-heavy defeat to Movsar Evloev — isn’t in for the preferred striking battle he’s after and has preached about in the lead-up to UFC 304.

“Almighty” got exactly that the last time he competed on home soil, with lightweight contender Dan Hooker falling to a flurry of strikes early into their clash at a London-held UFC Fight Night in 2022.

Having slipped from title contention with consecutive losses, Allen will no doubt be hoping to deliver a similar statement display on home soil this weekend.

Continue Reading Beneil Dariush Brands Teammate Giga Chikadze The ‘Best In The World When He’s On’ Ahead Of UFC 304 at MMA News.

Paddy Pimblett Outlines Four-Fight Path To The Title After UFC 304 Return: ‘Moicano, Dariush…’

Paddy Pimblett recently revealed that he has already envisioned several potential opponents as he charts his course to the UFC lightweight title. Pimblett is set to square off against King Green on the main card of UFC 304, scheduled to take place at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, on July 27. “The Baddy’s” […]

Continue Reading Paddy Pimblett Outlines Four-Fight Path To The Title After UFC 304 Return: ‘Moicano, Dariush…’ at MMA News.

Paddy Pimblett recently revealed that he has already envisioned several potential opponents as he charts his course to the UFC lightweight title.

Pimblett is set to square off against King Green on the main card of UFC 304, scheduled to take place at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, on July 27.

“The Baddy’s” upcoming fight will mark his first return to the Octagon since his unanimous decision victory over lightweight veteran Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 last December. The 29-year-old Scouser has enjoyed an impressive five-fight win streak since joining the UFC in September 2021 and is eager to dazzle his home fans with another triumph.

Pimblett is preparing for his sixth Octagon assignment, which also marks the final fight on his current contract. While a triumph in this bout would propel him into the lightweight rankings, Pimblett is already plotting his ascent to UFC gold…

Who Are The Fighters Pimblett Is Targeting Next?

During a recent interview with New York Post Sports, Pimblett chalked out his strategy leading up to a potential UFC lightweight title shot after his comeback bout at UFC 304.

The Liverpudlian shared his ambition to fight Renato Moicano after his bout with Green, with whom he has been sparring verbally on social media for several months. Following this, he plans to take on Beneil Dariush.

After these matchups, Pimblett has his sights set on challenging a top-five contender in the lightweight rankings.

“Well, obviously Bobby Green, then I fight Moicano,” Pimblett said. “Moicano’s ranked #10 at the minute, but then he’s fighting [Benoît] Saint Denis, isn’t he? So, then, we could end up, win or lose, he could end up going down, but I’d love that.

“Moicano, then Dariush would be perfect. He’s ranked, like, #7 or #8, and then someone in the top five, know what I mean? And then, obviously, go for the belt, if possible.”

Pimblett has long been a prominent figure in the European mixed martial arts scene thanks to his impressive stint with Cage Warriors, where he clinched the featherweight championship.

His popularity has only flourished throughout his time in the Octagon, marked by victories over notable opponents such as Ferguson, Jared Gordon, and Jordan Leavitt.

Continue Reading Paddy Pimblett Outlines Four-Fight Path To The Title After UFC 304 Return: ‘Moicano, Dariush…’ at MMA News.

UFC Lightweight Gives Paddy Pimblett Props For Contract Situation: ‘If He Wins All His Fights & Leaves, That’s Pretty Amazing’

Paddy Pimblett recently revealed that his return at UFC 304 will be the last fight on his current UFC contract. Though it seems unlikely that “The Baddy”, who has become a huge star in the promotion, will look to leave rather than re-signing, he did speak about the ability to make money in the boxing […]

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Paddy Pimblett recently revealed that his return at UFC 304 will be the last fight on his current UFC contract.

Though it seems unlikely that “The Baddy”, who has become a huge star in the promotion, will look to leave rather than re-signing, he did speak about the ability to make money in the boxing world.

Pimblett getting his hand raised on July 27 against King Green (formerly Bobby Green) in Manchester would make him undefeated in six Octagon appearances and will likely see him be ranked in the top 15.

From a negotiation standpoint, this gives him a lot of bargaining power to increase his purses when renewing his contract.

A fellow lightweight contender gave Pimblett some props for the way that he has handled business on the global stage.

Beneil Dariush Praises Paddy Pimblett For Holding Leverage In Future Plans

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Beneil Dariush spoke about Pimblett’s current contractual situation.

Rather than attacking the Scouse fighter for potentially looking to make the most money possible, Dariush spoke about this wave of fighters who use combat sports as a way to boost their own profiles rather than attempting to be the best in the world.

He says that whilst he isn’t sure whether “The Baddy” came into the promotion with this plan in mind, Pimblett has made himself a big name which will follow him whether he’s in the UFC or not.

Dariush gave credit to his fellow lightweight for potentially having the option on the table to go undefeated inside the Octagon, before walking away to explore a different path.

“There’s like this new idea going on in MMA. Get your name out there, become what I guess you would call an influencer, become an influencer, then you have the ability to make money anywhere, not just the UFC, sometimes you don’t even have to fight. Paddy’s definitely done that well. I don’t know if that was his goal but obviously clearly he’s gotten a lot of attention and he’s got a lot of followers. That being said, that gives him a lot of leverage. A lot of leverage regarding negotiations.

“If he ends up winning this fight, I’m sure the UFC will work with him and they’re going to match him but if not, he can also go anywhere else. That being said, if he ends up leaving, you gotta give him credit. If he wins all his fights and leaves, that’s pretty amazing.”

Read also: Fanmio CEO Releases Statement After Being Sued By Nate Diaz, Accuses Ex-UFC Star Of ‘Salacious & Defamatory’ Claims

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