Beneil Dariush is considering the potential of switching to a different weight class after his quick defeat inside the famous arena in New York. At UFC 322, Dariush experienced a striking loss to Benoit Saint Denis only sixteen seconds into their fight, and the experienced lightweight competitor is now exploring the possibility of a fresh start by moving to a higher weight. In addition to the nature of the fight’s outcome, Dariush also failed to meet the weight requirement before the fight, which could also influence his desire to compete at 170 pounds.
In a conversation with Submission Radio following his recent setback, Dariush shared that he felt prepared to deliver a career-defining performance, feeling completely in sync with all aspects of his preparation until challenges arose during fight week. Despite missing weight, registering at 157.2 pounds, Dariush mentioned that he felt relatively well on fight day but did notice a reduced ability to absorb strikes compared to his usual resilience.
Reflecting on post-fight activities that might contribute to a move away from 155 pounds, Dariush stated [via Sherdog],
“I was contemplating, ‘Perhaps a move to 170 is in order.’ … I underwent some tests, including a DEXA scan. The results indicated I was at 185, 186 with 10% body fat. That translates to needing to shed approximately 19 pounds of fat. Reducing fat to zero can be risky — increasing the likelihood of injuries. I’m currently evaluating whether 155 is a sustainable weight for me. After obtaining the information, I contacted the UFC, and I’ll be undergoing further testing there this week. Just to ensure clarity.”
Beneil Dariush and his recent challenges in the UFC
Beneil Dariush has encountered a somewhat challenging period recently, with defeats against Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan in addition to the previously mentioned loss to BSD on November 15th.
During this period of setbacks, Dariush did manage to secure a victory over former UFC lightweight title contender Renato Moicano at UFC 317 in June.
