The best and worst from UFC Fight Night 162: Maia vs. Askren
The UFC’s latest effort from Asia is in the books, as UFC Fight Night 162 went down earlier today from Kallang, Singapore. For the most part it was an entertaining show, and the main card, in particular, featured five fights that largely delivered when it came to action.
Quite where one of the main event participants goes following today is anyone’s guess, and elsewhere we saw some odd refereeing as well as a handful of seriously cool finishes.
Here are the best and worst moments from UFC Fight Night 162: Maia vs. Askren.
#1 Best: Dariush looks back to his best
After submitting the tough Drew Dober in his last fight, I expected Beneil Dariush to be matched with someone in the top fifteen at 155lbs in his next outing. Instead, he was faced with another tough – but unranked – brawler in Frank Camacho in what sounded like a banana skin of a fight for him.
Camacho came in with a reputation as a hard hitter who could take insane punishment – and with Dariush’s questionable chin, it felt like a tricky fight for him.
In the end, though, it turned out to be anything but. Dariush comfortably outstruck Camacho in the early going before hitting a double leg, taking him down, taking his back and choking him out, all in just over two minutes.
It was probably Dariush’s best UFC showing since his KO of James Vick back in 2016, and for a man who was written off somewhat after a tricky 2018, it was a much-needed performance.
Will Dariush ever be a true title contender? Perhaps not; he lacks the raw athleticism possessed by the very top fighters in the Lightweight division like Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje, but with his slick ground game and solid striking base he’s arguably a tough match for anyone out there, too.
This win should at least move him back into the top fifteen – and for me a fight with Charles Oliveira, currently ranked at #13, sounds absolutely fantastic to make next.