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Beneil Dariush was forced to withdraw from the main event of UFC Vegas 49 against Islam Makhachev due to a foot injury.
According to reports, Dariush broke his fibula during a light sparring session. His foot got caught on the mat while attempting a takedown on his partner.
While providing an update on the fighter's injured foot, Brett Okamoto stated in a tweet that Dariush is undergoing physical therapy and attempting to avoid surgery for as long as possible.
The reporter also stated that 'Benny's return to the octagon remains uncertain as no specific timeframe of recovery has been specified by the medical experts.
Tweeting about the update, Okamoto wrote:
"Per Beneil Dariush (@beneildariush), he has visited four physicians regarding his broken fibula. Three suggested physical therapy, one advised surgery. As of now, he is going with PT and trying to avoid surgery. Still no firm timeframe on his return, but no surgery is good news."
You can check out the tweet below:
Beneil Dariush has an MMA record of 21 wins, four losses, and one draw. Dariush won five of his twenty-one fights by KO/TKO and eight by submission. His most recent victory was a unanimous decision over Tony Ferguson at UFC 262.
Meanwhile, three of Dariush's four losses were by KO/TKO and one by submission.
The fighter is currently ranked third in the UFC's lightweight division.
Dan Hooker defends Beneil Dariush following 'Benny's' UFC Vegas 49 withdrawal
Dariush faced some backlash on social media after word of his ankle injury and subsequent decision to withdraw from the fight broke on social media. Dan Hooker, in a recent interview with The All-Star, defended Dariush and stated that he could not have fought with a fractured ankle.
Sharing his thoughts on the Iranian-American fighter's situation, 'The Hangman' said:
"He broke his femur. That's like a legit injury. Yeah, obviously people are going to the internet and they decide, 'Oh, he pulled out' but broken femur, my guy, that is about as legitimate an excuse as you can possibly get for pulling out of a fight, 'I broke my leg'."
Check out Dan Hooker's full interview with The All-Star below:
