Beneil Dariush: Difficulties in Success

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In the midst of a four-fight winning streak that includes three straight finishes, Beneil Dariush finds himself ranked as a Top 15 lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. However, success does not come without difficulties. Securing a new dance partner has not been easy for the Kings MMA representative.

“I thought [winning] was a good thing,” Dariush told Sherdog.com. “I appreciate that I’m getting bonuses and all that stuff, but now that I’m looking for a fight, I can’t seem to find a fight. I don’t necessarily think these guys are afraid of me, but I do think it’s a risk-management thing. I think the risk of fighting someone ranked No. 15 and [the fact that] they might have to give up their spot for that, it doesn’t make sense. They would rather fight someone less risky, I guess.”

In this exclusive interview with Sherdog, Dariush discussed his interest in hypothetical matchups with Donald Cerrone and Gregor Gillespie, reflected on his knockout of Drakkar Klose in January and provided his thoughts on what makes longtime coach Rafael Cordeiro unique.