The year 2025 began unexpectedly for 155lbs contender Beneil Dariush. Initially slated to compete at UFC 311, ‘Benny’ was set to face the Brazilian sensation Renato Moicano. However, things worsened when the headline lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan hit a roadblock.

Hardly two days before the fight, Tsarukyan experienced lower back pain, leading to his withdrawal. Moicano was called in on short notice to replace Tsarukyan, leaving ‘Benny’ without an opponent. Moreover, Dariush was pulled from the card altogether. Despite this setback, the Iranian-American remains undeterred. As 2025 progresses, he has outlined three fighters he’d like to face next.

In a recent YouTube interview with ‘Inside Fighting’, Dariush revealed his preferred choices: Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, and Michael Chandler. “I’d like to fight somebody ahead of me for once. You know, and ideally, I would like to fight—what is it called?—Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, or, or, um, what’s his name? Chandler. You know, I obviously don’t know how Chandler is ahead of me in the rankings, but I think those are the fights that make sense.” Of those, Dariush considers Dustin Poirier his “most ideal” opponent.

Despite being in the UFC for over a decade, the 35-year-old has never had the chance to face Poirier. While Benny’s resume may not match Poirier’s, his impressive 8-fight win streak in the lightweight division speaks volumes. During this streak, Dariush secured victories over top competitors like Tony Ferguson and Mateusz Gamrot.

However, in his 9th fight, Dariush’s “weak” chin was exposed by Charles Oliveira, who knocked him out in the first round. In his subsequent bout with Arman Tsarukyan, who had adopted Oliveira’s striking style, the Armenian replicated Oliveira’s success by knocking out the American in the same fashion, again in just one round.

Beneil Dariush comes clean on Dana White after UFC 311 fight cancellation

Despite being sidelined from UFC 311, where he was set to make his long-awaited return to the Octagon after over a year, the UFC and Dana White took good care of the 35-year-old. Although ‘Benny’ was unable to fight Renato Moicano, the promotion ensured he was fairly compensated for his commitment to the event, which was beyond his control.

In an interview, Dariush shared that he initially thought he would be stepping in to replace Arman Tsarukyan. However, his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, informed him that Moicano would be filling in instead. While the news was disappointing for the American, the UFC’s support regarding his compensation helped ease the frustration. “It’s excellent, I can’t complain. They’re giving me show and win money, so you know, a lot of people are like, ‘I hope they take care of you,’ they are. I appreciate Dana and the UFC,” he said.

What’s your take on ‘Benny’s’ target list? Who do you think should be his next opponent? With Dustin Poirier nearing the end of his MMA career, with “uno mas” or “duo mas” left, do you believe it’s the right moment for the UFC to give fans the long-awaited Beneil Dariush vs. Dustin Poirier fight? Drop your opinion below.