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Beneil Dariush, one of the top contenders in the highly competitive UFC lightweight division, has voiced his concern over Dustin Poirier's uncertain future in the premier mixed martial arts organization. Dariush fears that the talented fighter may be stuck in a state of flux, casting doubt over his long-term prospects in the UFC.
During a recent interview with MMA journalist The Schmo, the No. 4-ranked UFC lightweight shared his perspective on the possibility of a rematch between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. However, Beneil Dariush expressed uncertainty about 'The Diamond's' current aspirations, including whether he wants to pursue UFC gold once more or cement his status as a top contender in the lightweight rankings by fighting other formidable opponents.
Beneil Dariush remarked:
"It could be a beautiful fight, we've seen the first one, it was a great fight. But, I think it's in Poirier's hand because you know, right now Dustin Poirier gets to call the shots, who he wants to fight.
"I really feel like he's in the weird stop right now, he doesn't know what he wants. I know he wants to go for the belt, but I don't know he wants to put the time, effort, time away from his family. I think he's kind in that spot, trying to make decision."
Check out the entire comment here:
Dustin Poirier's last fight was against Michael Chandler on November 12, 2022, at UFC 281, which he won with a rear-naked choke in the final round. Despite his impressive victory, Poirier's next fight is yet to be confirmed, leaving fans and analysts to speculate about his future plans.
Beneil Dariush will face former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 288 on May 6th. The heavily hyped contest between two experienced competitors wanting to make their mark in the octagon is set to be a brutal affair.
Beneil Dariush gives his insights on Conor McGregor's USADA conundrum
Conor McGregor is expected to make a comeback to the UFC octagon in 2023, in the upcoming season finale of 'The Ultimate Fighter' (TUF). If all goes according to plan, he will face his rival coach, Michael Chandler, later this year, provided he gets clearance from USADA.
McGregor broke his leg in a gruesome loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021 and opted out of the USADA testing pool to focus on his recovery. However, this decision goes against the testing agency's protocol, which requires athletes to stay in the testing pool for six months and submit two clean tests. McGregor's actions have raised eyebrows and accusations of preferential treatment.
Beneil Dariush recently spoke out on McGregor's USADA situation, calling him a cheat. In a recent interview with The Schmo, Dariush expressed his views on the matter, stating that McGregor was not abiding by USADA's rules. The Iranian-born mixed martial artist stated:
"I think Conor is cheating. In reality if you want to fix your knee or fix your leg and get certain growth hormones whatever he's doing. You can get a therapeutic expemption. You can speak to USADA and get a therapeutic exemption."
He further added:
"But you can't add extra stuff. Whatever you are putting in, you to declare it to them and get it figured out. This is BS to be honest with you..... This is garbage. But that's the game."
Check out Dariush's statement on McGregor from the 4:53 mark below:
