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It's been over a year since Beneil Dariush stepped inside the octagon. Currently ranked sixth in the lightweight division and on an impressive seven-fight win streak, Dariush is eager to fight someone from the top five in the division. The promotion, however, is yet to offer him a fight.
The 33-year-old has revealed that he was initially looking to fight either Dustin Poirier or Michael Chandler next. Dariush, however, claims to have not heard "a whole lot" from the UFC regarding a potential clash against either man.
Now, Beneil Dariush just wants to step inside the octagon and face anyone put in front of him. CBS Sports' Shakiel Mahjouri shared a clip on Twitter where Dariush can be seen talking about his next fight. 'Benny' says:
"I've asked for Dustin [Poirier] or [Michael] Chandler but I'm not hearing a whole lot... At this point, I just need somebody in front of me."
Dana White names potential opponent for Beneil Dariush's next fight
While Beneil Dariush wants to take on fighters ranked within the top five in the lightweight division, Dana White seemingly has other ideas for him. The UFC supremo said he'd like to see Dariush face Mateusz Gamrot in his next fight. In his last fight, Gamrot defeated Arman Tsarukyan and subsequently broke into the top 10 of the lightweight rankings.
Although Gamrot called out Justin Gaethje during his post-fight interview, White feels he'd be a better match for the Iranian-American fighter. During an interaction with Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole, White said:
"Yeah, I think what I love is, I love Gamrot-Dariush, when he comes back."
In his last fight, the No.6-ranked lightweight put on a masterclass to defeat Tony Ferguson via lopsided unanimous decision at UFC 262. After his win against Ferguson last year, Dariush was expected to take on Islam Makhachev in a potential No.1 contender's fight. Unfortunately, the 33-year-old had to pull out of the bout at the last moment after suffering a broken fibula.
The prospect of having to face someone ranked lower than him might disappoint Dariush. However, a win against Gamrot will further extend his winning streak and establish him as a legitimate threat to the top contenders in the division.
