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Beneil Dariush scored a close split decision win over Diego Ferreira at UFC Vegas 18 on Sunday night.
Post-victory, Beneil Dariush took to social media to express his disappointment over not being able to walk out with the Assyrian-American flag, as it goes against UFC's outfitting policy in their partnership with Reebok.
However, he added that he was told the Assyrian flag will be reviewed and he expects to have it around his shoulder the next time he walks out to the octagon.
"I was not allowed to walk out with my Assyrian/American flag because of the new UFC policy which only allows countries currently recognized. Even though I was very disappointed with the new ruling, the UFC staff told me that they would review the Assyrian flag and let me know if I would be allowed to use it next time. I was grateful I was able to take this picture after my fight," Beneil Dariush said.
What is UFC's policy about walk-out flags?
UFC currently has strict policies regarding the flags fighters can walk out with before their fight. The promotion's partnership with Reebok not only made sure that all the fighters are outfitted systematically in the brand's gears, but also that they can only carry an internationally recognized country's flag.
Beneil Dariush, who is an Iranian-born American is of Assyrian ethnicity. He was born in a small farm in Iran before being adopted by an American family at the age of 3.
Beneil Dariush wanted to pay his Assyrian roots a tribute during his latest fight against Diego Ferreira at UFC Vegas 18, but was not allowed to do so. Assyria is technically not a country of the current world as we know it. It was a powerful kingdom of northern Mesopotamian civilization which was located in what is now northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey.
This is not the first time UFC or Reebok has stopped fighters from walking out with a particular flag, or at least tried to.
Former featherweight champion Max Holloway has previously recollected on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast that Reebok wanted to stop him from walking out with a Hawaiian flag as the company did not recognize state flags. However, that time Dana White came to his rescue, and told him to "just walk with it".
