Beneil Dariush is ecstatic to be facing Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280.
After Dariush beat Tony Ferguson in May of 2021, he was then booked to face Islam Makhachev that following February. Unfortnately, Dariush suffered a broken ankle which forced him to pull out of the fight. After healing the ankle, he will return to the Octagon against Gamrot at UFC 280 which is a fight he is looking forward to.
“He’s a stud, mixes it up really well, and is really tough. He was a 145 and 155lbs champ in KSW and has a lot of potential,” Dariush said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I feel there is the old guard and there is the new guard and he’s one of the first generations of the new guard. I think he’s top-five level… I think this guy is better, he’s either the same level or better than these guys (Poirier, Chandler). Fighting someone better is important. Obviously, I’m not going to get as much visibility because Poirier is a superstar, and Chandler is either a superstar or a superstar in the making.”
Although Gamrot is not a high-profile name like Chandler or Poirier, Dariush believes the Pole is better than both. He also says Gamrot’s main event fight against Arman Tsarukyan inspired him to want to fight him as he thought that scrap was one of the best this year.
“Once I watched that fight I was like I really want to fight him right away. This looks like such a fun fight,” Dariush explained. “Waiting for a top guy would’ve been the smart choice but as an athlete and a competitor, watching that fight against Arman I was just shadowboxing, telling my wife I have to go run. The fight was inspiring and I want to fight those guys who inspire me and make me want to rise up to the occasion. He’s that first generation of the new guard and I think these guys are going to be better than the old generation and will be more well-rounded and I have to be able to beat these guys.”
With Beneil Dariush thinking Mateusz Gamrot is better than a lot of the top lightweights, he is expecting a tough fight. However, he still has confidence he will go out there and pull off the upset by finishing Gamrot and cementing his case as the next title contender.
“I’m going to finish him, that is how I see it playing out,” Dariush said. “I’m going to finish him… Whatever comes that day, but pretty sure I’m going to finish him.”
If Dariush does finish Gamrot at UFC 280, it would be hard for the UFC to not give him a title shot. Yet, Alexander Volkanovski appears to be next in line but Dariush still thinks a title shot is next – and likely would be against Islam Makhachev.
“I want to fight them both so whichever scenario allows me to do that. I do think I will end up fighting Islam for the belt, but if it’s Oliveira that will be great too,” Dariush said. “Hopefully, Islam will win a fight or two and I’ll fight him. I would like to fight both.”
Do you think Beneil Dariush will finish Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280?