Beneil Dariush is beaming with confidence again going into UFC 248 and expects to carry on his winning streak when he faces Drakkar Klose.
Dariush admits that this is the biggest card he has ever been on. He’s excited to have the slot right before the 2 title fights and expects it to give him a boost in viewership. He admits that he lost some confidence after going 2 years without a win, but now he’s back in confidence street. Going into UFC 248, Dariush carries with him a 3-fight winning streak with two stoppage wins.
In an exclusive interview with BJPENN.com, Dariush talked about regaining his confidence: “I feel very confident but that was so long. Right now, my confidence is pretty high.”
As mentioned earlier, Dariush will be entering his UFC 248 bout on a 3-fight winning streak, coming off an impressive submission victory over Frank Camacho, Drew Dober and a decision win over Thiago Moises. The 30-year-old has won bonuses in consecutive fights and figured that he would like a ranked opponent next. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite work out like that.
“This is who the UFC offered. Ideally, for me, I would be fighting a ranked opponent,” he said. “To be honest, I’ve fought up and comers, veterans, and prospects so I think it makes sense to fight contenders next.
“I don’t know what it will take for me to get some contenders. But, I don’t mind continuing to do what I have been doing. I remember when I got to the UFC, Rafael dos Anjos was my training partner and he was getting close to a title shot and he had 15 or 16 fights,” he continued. “I remember thinking it would not take me that long and now I’ve been humbled. Now, I don’t care how long it takes, all I know is I will get there and become the champion.
For Beneil Dariush the goal is simple. It’s to get his hand raised and extend his win streak and go for a ranked guy next. That is easier said than done though, as Drakkar Klose is entering the contest on a 3-fight winning streak of his own, with an overall record of 11-1-1 in his career.
Without a doubt, this is a dangerous fight for Dariush, but he believes he has the more complete skill set and will emerge victorious. Ideally, he would like to get a quick finish, but he’s prepared a 3 round war.
“For me, looking at it, I think it could be a fight I could go in and get a quick finish. But, I think it will be a three-round war given the way he fights. He’s aggressive and athletic, but he’s a smart fighter as he goes to the decision,” Dariush said. “To go all three rounds and not make a mistake and get caught takes intelligence. He’s much smarter than people give him credit for.”
Regardless of the outcome, this fight at UFC 248 will be the 1st of 3 or 4 for Beneil Dariush this year. He plans to earn himself a spot in the top 10, but don’t be surprised if you see the Iranian fighter make a move to Welterweight in the future.
“Ideally, three to four fights would be perfect. The problem is, as I get older, I’m getting fatter and cutting weight is harder. It would be nice to fight at welterweight because the weight cut would be so easy,” Beneil Dariush concluded. “But, I wouldn’t be a big welterweight, I don’t even think I’m a big lightweight. If I can’t make weight I will move up, but I can make it right now.”
This article first appeared on CLOSEDGUARDMEDIA.com on 4th March, 2020.
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