Beneil Dariush appears to be finished competing inside the Octagon, although he is stepping back from making a formal retirement announcement.
Dariush had previously suggested that his recent outing might serve as his swan song, preferring to evaluate his feelings after the bout. Following a TKO defeat against Quillan Salkilld—his second consecutive setback—he transitioned into training others, rapidly stepping into a head coaching position. He is set to serve as the lead cornerman for Uros Medic in his next contest while offering guidance to prominent UFC athletes such as Marvin Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum, and several others.
Although his ascension to head coach happened rapidly, it is a role Dariush is wholeheartedly embracing.
“I never actually set out to do this,” Dariush shared with MMA Junkie during a Tuesday interview. “After my trainer Rafael Cordeiro headed over to work with Tyson, numerous fighters began coming to my facility. At first, I just thought it was great to have extra training partners around. Gradually, it naturally shifted into me coaching them as well. … My involvement expanded from cornering just a couple of guys to managing 20 to 25 fighters.
“It caught me off guard, but the experience has been fantastic and rewarding. I’m expanding my skill set as a trainer, with the biggest challenge being navigating different personalities. Direct communication that suits one athlete might not resonate with someone else. I believe that’s the key aspect. Viewers noticed that dynamic with Marvin, but that approach isn’t something I’d necessarily apply to everyone else. … I currently train several UFC roster members, though many of my athletes are still rising prospects.”
Beneil Dariush remains uncertain about returning to active competition
Fully committed to his new duties as a head trainer, Dariush concedes that another professional fight is quite unlikely.
At 37 years old—turning 38 this coming May—he appears perfectly content to step away permanently unless the UFC presents an exceptionally lucrative opportunity.
“To be frank, I haven’t mapped out any future fights,” Dariush stated. “My complete attention is devoted to my fighters. I have athletes scheduled for November, followed by others competing in December. Should the desire strike me, perhaps I’ll reconsider next year, but currently, with how smoothly everything is progressing, I have zero regrets. Short of a major offer, I won’t be entering the cage anytime in the near future. Having said that, I have received invitations for grappling bouts. Possibly even RAF. That seems exciting. I’d enjoy taking part in that, as well as wrestling competition.
“Some athletes get the opportunity to compete against someone like Jordan Burroughs, sharing the mat alongside Olympic-level competitors. That aspect really appeals to me. … While those opportunities sound intriguing, nothing will distract me from prioritizing my coaching right now. My main objective is coaching. If a secondary endeavor interferes with my training schedule, I won’t even participate in grappling. It has to align seamlessly with my duties.”
Should this mark the conclusion of his professional career, Dariush will finish with an overall record of 23 victories, 8 losses, and 1 draw. Since stepping into the UFC octagon for the first time in 2014, he amassed a 17-8-1 promotional record.
This content was originally published by BJPENN.COM
