Charles Oliveira scores first round TKO win over Beneil Dariush in thrilling co main event – UFC 289 Highlights

Charles Oliveira stops Beneil Dariush with first round TKO at UFC 289Former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has rebounded to the winner’s enclosure at the first time of trying following his vacant title challenge loss last October — stopping the surge of Beneil Dariush with a first round slew of ground strikes in the co-headliner of UFC 289 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Returning to the […]

Charles Oliveira stops Beneil Dariush with first round TKO at UFC 289

Former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has rebounded to the winner’s enclosure at the first time of trying following his vacant title challenge loss last October — stopping the surge of Beneil Dariush with a first round slew of ground strikes in the co-headliner of UFC 289 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Returning to the Octagon for the first time since he was submitted by Islam Makhachev in their vacant lightweight title fight in October of last year in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Sao Paulo grappler, Oliveira entertained a lot of grappling exchanges and scrambles with Iranian technician, Dariush in the opening round of their UFC 289 title-eliminator.

Pulling guard and working from the bottom with both strike and submission attempts, Oliveira, the most prolific finisher in Octagon antiquity, racked up finish number 20 on the feet, wobbling Dariush with a right high kick and then swarming with strikes.

Dropping the Kings MMA staple to the canvas at the Octagon fence, Oliveira then laid out Dariush with a slew of ground strikes, eventually knocking the former unconscious — before calling for an immediate title rematch with the above-mentioned, Makhachev.

Catch the highlights from Charles Oliveira’s win over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289

Charles Oliveira Defeats Beneil Dariush by 1st-Round KO in UFC 289 Lightweight Fight

Charles Oliveira began his quest to reclaim the lightweight championship with a victory over Beneil Dariush in the UFC 289 co-main event. Oliveira scored the…

Charles Oliveira began his quest to reclaim the lightweight championship with a victory over Beneil Dariush in the UFC 289 co-main event. Oliveira scored the…

Chael Sonnen predicts landslide victory for Beneil Dariush at UFC 289: ‘Oliveira does not win a round’

Chael SonnenChael Sonnen does not see Charles Oliveira winning a single round against Beneil Dariush on Saturday night. ‘Do Bronx’ will return to the Octagon at UFC 289 for the first time since being handed a one-sided submission loss at the hands of reigning lightweight world champion Islam Makhachev in October. Looking to bounce back and […]

Chael Sonnen

Chael Sonnen does not see Charles Oliveira winning a single round against Beneil Dariush on Saturday night.

‘Do Bronx’ will return to the Octagon at UFC 289 for the first time since being handed a one-sided submission loss at the hands of reigning lightweight world champion Islam Makhachev in October. Looking to bounce back and potentially earn himself another opportunity to reclaim the 155-pound crown, Oliveira is set to square off with streaking lightweight contender Beneil Dariush.

Dariush goes into the bout as a moderate favorite, hovering around -150 on most sportsbooks. But if you ask Chael Sonnen, things will be much more decisive in Saturday’s co-main event.

“I officially predict that we have not heard the last of this fight, that the X’s and O’s are not overly close. I officially predict Charles Oliveira does not win a round,” Sonnen predicted during a recent episode of his Beyond the Fight YouTube series. “I’m not looking to be a jerk. I think Oliveira is just a wonderful fighter, this is another category. There are many fighters that believe Dariush is going to beat Islam.”

“If Benny’s as good as people say he is, and we never know that’s why we have to go to the fight, but if he is… Islam vs Charles was not competitive, not remotely competitive. It was uncompetitive to the point I don’t believe this is a number one contender’s match” (h/t MiddleEasy).

Chael Sonnen Believes Charles Oliveira Wants Nothing to Do with Islam Makhachev

Beneil Dariush rides into the Great White North on the back of an eight-fight win streak dating back to 2018, including victories against Tony Ferguson and Mateusz Gamrot in his last two appearances. With a win over ‘Do Bronx’ at UFC 289, Dariush will be all but guaranteed his first crack at UFC gold. That task might be easier than expected according to Chael Sonnen, who suspects Oliveira wants no piece of a rematch with Islam Makhachev and will bring his less-than-best as a result.

“The fact that we’re told Charles was offered a rematch with Islam and turned it down lets us know that at least in that moment that wasn’t the case,” Sonnen continued. “There’s nothing wrong with what Oliveira is saying. You’ve got to make a case for you. You got to make your stand somewhere, be careful what you let into your bubble. I don’t have any problem with any of it but as an outsider looking in, I don’t believe it. I also don’t believe that he believes it. It puts you in a very interesting spot.

“Based on everything we know, we really only know one thing. Charles has made it very clear he does not want to fight Islam. Charles didn’t want to fight Islam the first time because of the location… There are things that Charles doesn’t want so how do you get the motivation to beat Benny when your reward is a match with a guy you don’t want to fight?”

UFC 289 emanates from Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The event is scheduled to be headlined by a women’s bantamweight world title fight as reigning champion Amanda Nunes defends her crown against Mexico’s Irene Aldana.

Do you agree with Chael Sonnen’s assessment of the UFC 289 co-main event?

Beneil Dariush doubts Dustin Poirier’s chances to win at UFC 291: ‘I think he’s a little too comfortable’

Beneil Dariush doubts Dustin Poirier can win at UFC 291 I think he's gotten too comfortableAhead of his incoming UFC 289 co-headliner this weekend, surging lightweight contender, Beneil Dariush has doubted the chances of success of former interim division champion, Dustin Poirier next month ahead of his UFC 291 BMF championship rematch with Justin Gaethje. Dariush, the current #4 ranked lightweight contender, is slated to co-headline UFC 289 this weekend […]

Beneil Dariush doubts Dustin Poirier can win at UFC 291 I think he's gotten too comfortable

Ahead of his incoming UFC 289 co-headliner this weekend, surging lightweight contender, Beneil Dariush has doubted the chances of success of former interim division champion, Dustin Poirier next month ahead of his UFC 291 BMF championship rematch with Justin Gaethje.

Dariush, the current #4 ranked lightweight contender, is slated to co-headline UFC 289 this weekend in Vancouver, Canada, taking on former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira at the Rogers Arena. 

Last time out, the Iranian-born grappler turned in his seventh consecutive victory at UFC 280 last October, securing a hugely one-sided unanimous decision triumph over former two-weight KSW champion, Mateusz Gamrot.

As for Poirier, the Lafayette native most recently featured on the main card of UFC 281 in November, scoring a third round rear-naked choke submission win over Michael Chandler at Madison Square Garden.

And next month, atop a UFC 291 pay-per-view card in Salt Lake City, Utah – Poirier rematches fellow former interim lightweight titleholder, Gaethje at the Delta Center – with symbolic BMF spoils on the line.

Beneil Dariush looks to earn his first title challenge this weekend at UFC 289

Despite opening as a betting favorite to defeat Gaethje next month in Utah, Dariush claims “comfort” may have taken a foothold on Poirier, picking former training partner, Gaethje to defeat the Louisianan.

“I think if you’re practical, you go with Dustin Poirier because of the last fight [with Justin Gaethje],” Beneil Dariush said during an interview with MMA Fighting. “I would say this – right now, I would say Justin Gaethje seems more hungry, more focused.”

“Dustin Poirier, I think he’s made a lot of money, he’s done his thing,” Beneil Dariush explained. “He seems a little bit more comfortable, and comfort’s the greatest enemy of progress. I think Dustin Poirier is a little too comfortable but I could be wrong. He could definitely show up and show me that I’m wrong.” 

Beneil Dariush doubts Dustin Poirier’s chances to win at UFC 291: ‘I think he’s a little too comfortable’

Beneil Dariush doubts Dustin Poirier can win at UFC 291 I think he's gotten too comfortableAhead of his incoming UFC 289 co-headliner this weekend, surging lightweight contender, Beneil Dariush has doubted the chances of success of former interim division champion, Dustin Poirier next month ahead of his UFC 291 BMF championship rematch with Justin Gaethje. Dariush, the current #4 ranked lightweight contender, is slated to co-headline UFC 289 this weekend […]

Beneil Dariush doubts Dustin Poirier can win at UFC 291 I think he's gotten too comfortable

Ahead of his incoming UFC 289 co-headliner this weekend, surging lightweight contender, Beneil Dariush has doubted the chances of success of former interim division champion, Dustin Poirier next month ahead of his UFC 291 BMF championship rematch with Justin Gaethje.

Dariush, the current #4 ranked lightweight contender, is slated to co-headline UFC 289 this weekend in Vancouver, Canada, taking on former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira at the Rogers Arena. 

Last time out, the Iranian-born grappler turned in his seventh consecutive victory at UFC 280 last October, securing a hugely one-sided unanimous decision triumph over former two-weight KSW champion, Mateusz Gamrot.

As for Poirier, the Lafayette native most recently featured on the main card of UFC 281 in November, scoring a third round rear-naked choke submission win over Michael Chandler at Madison Square Garden.

And next month, atop a UFC 291 pay-per-view card in Salt Lake City, Utah – Poirier rematches fellow former interim lightweight titleholder, Gaethje at the Delta Center – with symbolic BMF spoils on the line.

Beneil Dariush looks to earn his first title challenge this weekend at UFC 289

Despite opening as a betting favorite to defeat Gaethje next month in Utah, Dariush claims “comfort” may have taken a foothold on Poirier, picking former training partner, Gaethje to defeat the Louisianan.

“I think if you’re practical, you go with Dustin Poirier because of the last fight [with Justin Gaethje],” Beneil Dariush said during an interview with MMA Fighting. “I would say this – right now, I would say Justin Gaethje seems more hungry, more focused.”

“Dustin Poirier, I think he’s made a lot of money, he’s done his thing,” Beneil Dariush explained. “He seems a little bit more comfortable, and comfort’s the greatest enemy of progress. I think Dustin Poirier is a little too comfortable but I could be wrong. He could definitely show up and show me that I’m wrong.”