And if things play out the way Dariush anticipates, his best-case scenario is here.
Dariush took care of business and defeated Gamrot at UFC 280 and now he’s slated to face Oliveira at UFC 289: Nunes vs Aldana in a high-stakes co-main event bout. Defeating Oliveira would more than likely give Dariush the resume he needs to be the next man to step in the Octagon with now-champ Makhachev.
How To Watch UFC 289 In Your Country
Dariush has been waiting for an opportunity like this for years, and finally, people are starting to give him the flowers he deserves.
“I’ve never had so much recognition; I guess that’s the way I’d put it,” Dariush told UFC.com. “Pressure, I believe, is a God-given gift. We put pressure on ourselves in order to make something out of ourselves. The whole idea of pressure makes diamonds. The thing that feels so different now is recognition. I have never had so much recognition.”
And while the recognition is good, it’s being known as the best lightweight on the planet that drives Dariush. Well, that and the fact that Dariush absolutely loves to fight and let his inner warrior loose.
“Do Bronxs” is the same way, and that’s why Dariush is so excited to finally get to compete with the former lightweight champion and see what happens when they collide.
UFC 289 Full Fight Card Preview
“I think we match up pretty well. There are multiple ways how the fight can go,” Dariush said. “He has a very aggressive style and he’s so aggressive sometimes that he forgets his defense, and that’s something I think I can obviously take advantage of. At the same time sometimes, I make the same mistake. I can get careless and go forward and do things I probably shouldn’t, but I typically get the win out of it.”
A prime example of that “careless” nature can be seen when Dariush literally punched Drakkar Klose from one side of the Octagon to the other with reckless abandon. Although he knocked Klose out in that exchange, Dariush hopes to be able to contain himself and stay within his gameplan versus Oliveira.
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If he does that, he’s confident he’ll finish Oliveira within the distance.
If he doesn’t, he’s expecting every fan in Rogers Arena to be losing their mind.
How will it actually go?
Dariush won’t know until he’s in the moment but, either way, he’s anticipating that he’ll deliver the biggest moment of his UFC career.
“I don’t think you guys will need more than three rounds in this fight,” Dariush said. “It could be a mess and a fan favorite, for sure. Or, if it’s the way I want it to be, it will be very disciplined, and I will pick him apart until I finish him.”
Dariush knows a finish over Oliveira would put a double exclamation mark on application for a title shot, but he also thinks extending his win streak to nine in a row would be enough to get him that opportunity no matter what.
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“I think a finish always looks better, but I also think if I win this fight there is no denying me,” Dariush said. “And I have to say to beat Charles by decision, I think that is even more difficult because typically he’s the kind of guy who throws everything at you for as long as he can. The longer you give him a chance to breathe, the more opportunities there are for him to try to kill you.
“I really do believe I will get the finish.”
