"Cut down whoever they put in front of me" - Beneil Dariush shares his "simple" formula for getting a title shot
Beneil Dariush has a gameplan to make his way to a UFC lightweight title shot. 'Benny', being one of the quieter fighters, isn't as gifted on the microphone as some of his contemporaries.
Thus, Dariush plans to decimate his opponents until a title shot becomes inevitable. The Assyrian-American recently said on an episode of UFC Unfiltered:
"Just cut down whoever they put in front of me. It's really that simple. I don't have anything else to do. Like bro, I'm not a politician, I'm not an a**-kisser. I got one job to do. Whoever's in front of me, take'em out. That's all that there is to it. Come the 22nd, I'm just looking to take somebody's head off."
Watch Beneil Dariush's comments at the 46:45 mark of the video below:
Dariush was once slated to be the final test for Islam Makhchev before the Dagestani stand-out fought for UFC gold. However, 'Benny' was forced to pull out due to an injury and Makhachev went on to dominate short-notice replacement Bobby Green, who was unranked at the time.
While Makhachev fights Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight strap at UFC 280, Dariush will face surging number nine-ranked Mateusz Gamrot on the same card.
Beneil Dariush considers himself next in line for a title shot if he beats Mateusz Gamrot
The lightweight title picture is currently murky with multiple bookings between the top-ranked fighters. While Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev fight for the title on October 23, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler are slated to clash next month at UFC 281.
Chandler, currently 2-2 in the UFC, believes he can earn the next lightweight title shot if he beats Poirier. This did not go down well with Beneil Dariush, who claimed 'Iron' getting a title shot next would be a "joke."
'Benny' believes that he would be the most deserving of having a crack at the title if he beats Mateusz Gamrot. The 33-year-old recently told Helen Yee:
“Honestly, I think he’s just trying to hype himself up. I don’t think that’s true. But if that does happen, man, I will – that’s basically a clown show. What? The guy just had a title shot and lost and then lost again. So it doesn’t make sense. After I beat Gamrot, I don’t think there’s anyone who could step in front of me. We’ll see what happens. I think it would be a joke if he gets a title shot.”
Watch Dariush's interview with Yee below: