Beneil Dariush Won’t Fear Carlos Diego Ferreira’s Skills Like Rustam Khabilov

Beneil Dariush will face Carlos Diego Ferreira in a lightweight clash this weekend at UFC Fight Night 184. Both fighters are on an impressive run at the moment, with the Brazilian riding on a 6-fight winning streak. His last defeat came against Dustin Poirier in 2015.

Dariush, on the other hand, is on a 5-fight winning streak of his own. Ahead of his fight against Ferreira, Dariush opened up on his gameplan for the bout. He explained how he has taken notes from Ferreira’s fight against Russian sambo champion Rustam Khabilov in 2019.

“He fought Rustam, and Rustam would constantly take him down. But he would turn it, turn it into this scramble and find a way out. And that’s where I’m going to have to shut that down. If I get a takedown, like you’re not moving, that has to be my mindset. The fear Rustam had was the submissions,” he said to Sportscentre.

“And I’m going to have to face that fear, I’m going to be like, I have to hold this guy down, whether he is going to try to submit me or not, I’m just going to have to find a way around this submission and, and do my job.

“Because if I go in there with the fear of the submission, I won’t be able to perform if I go in there with the fear of his volume or his knockouts, I won’t be able to perform. So that’s where I’m at right now is making sure I established my game plan and not allow him to do his,”

Beneil Dariush is often touted as underrated by the fans

The rematch against Ferreira will be Dariush’s 18th fight inside the Octagon. His record in the UFC stands at 13-4-1. He already has a win over Ferreira at UFC 179 in 2014, and has taken out some perennial contenders like Drakkar Klose, Drew Dober, James Vick, Michael Johnson, and more. So, certainly, he should be considered as an elite lightweight already.

As for Ferreira, apart from Dustin Poirier, Dariush has been the only man to make him taste defeat in his career. He will be looking to avenge that loss for sure. He defeated former UFC lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis, by submission at UFC 246, in his last outing. Considering both fighters’ recent run, we are surely in for a treat this weekend.

Who gets the win at UFC Fight Night 184? Dariush or Ferreira- who will springboard up in the rankings?

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