[ad_1]
Beneil Dariush considers himself probably the most even-tempered fighters on all the UFC roster. However currently, his frustration has began to boil over each time he addresses ex-lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
His points with Oliveira date again practically two years, when he was provided and accepted a struggle in opposition to the Brazilian solely to have the matchup disintegrate days later. On the time, he was informed Oliveira had household points that may stop him from competing. However then just a few weeks later, “Do Bronx” as a substitute accepted a struggle in opposition to Tony Ferguson.
Quick ahead to current day, and Dariush is driving a seven-fight successful streak, which has propelled him close to the highest of the light-weight rankings. But he not often ever hears Oliveira point out his identify when requested about potential opposition. To exacerbate issues, Oliveira was not too long ago stripped of the UFC light-weight title after lacking weight and is now thought of the No. 1 contender of the division.
Currently, Oliveira has spent more time calling for a fight against Conor McGregor than contemplating a showdown in opposition to Dariush.
“He’s speaking about eager to struggle Conor, and he talks about how these guys by no means gave him a shot when he was outdoors the highest 5, blah, blah, blah,” Dariush stated on The Fighter vs. The Author. “We have been speculated to struggle October of 2020. I’ve a struggle contract, I can put up an image of it. I used to be speculated to struggle Charles, and he pulled out of the struggle, after which a pair months later, as a substitute of combating me, he fought Tony Ferguson. He stated one thing about household points and I’m not going to say, ‘Oh, he didn’t struggle me, I can’t consider it.’ Household comes first, I perceive that. However the identical factor folks did to him, he’s doing to me.
“He was speculated to struggle me, bailed, ran and fought Tony Ferguson. Now, as a substitute of combating precise contenders, he desires to go struggle Conor? He desires to go struggle Nate Diaz? That is hypocritical. That is the one factor that’s bothering me.”
McGregor is at present recovering from a damaged leg suffered in his earlier outing in opposition to Dustin Poirier in early 2021. There’s been no definitive timeline set for his return to motion.
McGregor is simply 1-3 in his previous 4 appearances. On its face, his resume makes him an unlikely candidate to return from an extended layoff to face one of the best light-weight within the sport. That’s simply one more reason why Dariush is so aggravated with Oliveira chasing the struggle.
“I perceive the media has their factor, the UFC has their half, however for him to be chasing a unicorn, it’s tremendous irritating,” he stated. “There’s two clear contenders in entrance of you, and also you’re making an attempt to chase a unicorn. Nobody is aware of when Conor goes to struggle once more. The man won’t even struggle this yr. Make it make sense. It simply doesn’t make sense.”
When Oliveira first talked about McGregor following his win at UFC 274, fellow light-weight Islam Makhachev scoffed on the suggestion and countered he was the rightful challenger for the vacant title. Oliveira, nevertheless, rapidly dismissed Makhachev’s callout and informed him to maneuver ahead with a struggle in opposition to Dariush to find out who would vie for the title; the 2 have been beforehand scheduled to struggle in February earlier than an damage to Dariush pressured him to withdraw.
If the UFC asks, Dariush has no downside accepting the Makhachev rematch. However he additionally wonders if Oliveira is trying to make the matchup occur so he can in the end keep away from one in all them.
“Logically, it is smart,” Dariush stated. “I actually don’t what else there may be. Not even saying our names. I by no means hear him say my identify so far as the fights go. I’m pissed off at myself as a result of if I hadn’t been injured, all of this wouldn’t be occurring, so I’m a bit of pissed off with myself. That provides to it as properly. But it surely’s attainable that he desires one in all us to knock the opposite individual out so he solely has to take care of one individual.
“I feel stylistically, sure [we are the toughest matchups for Oliveira]. As a result of in case you have a look at the Kevin Lee struggle, Kevin Lee was not doing that properly with Charles however he did his greatest work in opposition to him on the bottom, when he stayed on high. I feel he might have received one spherical by simply being on high, by holding Charles down for a spherical. No disrespect to Kevin, however Kevin doesn’t have the jiu-jitsu, the submission grappling down as a lot as myself or Islam. I feel stylistically, we’re a nightmare matchup for Charles. I feel I’m a nightmare matchup for each of them.”
At this stage, Dariush can’t say for sure what’s going to occur subsequent, although ideally he would like to settle his unfinished enterprise with Oliveira in August or September. If he nonetheless has to win yet one more struggle to earn a title shot, then so be it. However greater than something, he simply desires Oliveira to acknowledge the true contenders within the division who’re ready to face him.
“Hear, if I’ve to struggle Islam, cool,” Dariush stated. “I informed the UFC I’d be prepared in August or September. I’ve been informed that Islam desires to attend proper now for the Abu Dhabi card [in October]. OK, no matter, if I’ve to attend till then, I’ll struggle him then. But when Charles is simply ready to struggle Conor, that is senseless.
“We’re each right here. We’re each able to struggle for the title. It’s annoying. Proper now, I’m simply ready to see what’s going to occur. I’m not often pissed off as a result of I perceive that it’s all a reputation contest and there’s plenty of politics within the sport. I get it. But it surely’s the primary time I’ve been so pissed off with one other fighter. You’re actually doing the stuff you stated different folks did to you, so I don’t get it.”
[ad_2]
Source link
