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“There Was Nothing Surprising “: Despite Having Most Number of Submission Wins in UFC History, Charles Oliveira’s Grappling Gets Downplayed by Last Opponent Beneil Dariush

Published 06/16/2023, 3:16 PM EDT

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UFC 289 didn’t go the way Beneil Dariush would have hoped for. He lost the fight against Charles Oliveira in the very first round of the fight. ‘Benny’ recently appeared in an interview on the ‘Submission Radio’ podcast and shared his thoughts about the grappling tactics Oliveira used during their fight in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Beneil Dariush’s hard-earned 8-fight winning streak came to an end after ‘Do Bronx’ registered an emphatic finish in the co-main event of UFC 289. The fight had huge implications as the winner was going to be the probable contender for the lightweight champion. However, Dariush will have to wait a little more to get his title shot.

Beneil Dariush reveals how he felt about Charles Oliveira’s grappling

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During his appearance on the podcast, ‘Benny’ claimed that ‘Do Bronx’ used some good grappling techniques during the fight. The Brazilian is known for being one of the most dangerous submission grapplers in the promotion. However, it didn’t present much of a threat to the 4th-ranked lightweight. He said, “His grappling felt okay. There wasn’t much of a submission threat that I felt.”

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Dariush also mentioned that Oliveira was mostly aiming to take him down by the leg and apply leg locks, but he didn’t succeed. ‘Benny’ was able to escape that predicament fairly easily. He added, “I know he went for the leg lock but it wasn’t really close. I was able to get out of the leglocks.”

Dariush was finding it hard to pass the guard

‘Benny’ spoke about Charles Oliveira’s repeated attempts to get under him to attempt submission moves. In spite of that, he was unsuccessful and ended up fighting on his feet. Dariush said, “[Oliveira] tried to get under me and ultimately, he just got back up. That’s what he did.” He deflected Oliveira’s every submission attempt.

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On the flip side, Beneil Dariush was finding it difficult to establish a dominant position when ‘Do Bronx’ was playing guard. However, there was nothing notable about his grappling tactics that night in Vancouver, according to Dariush. The 4th-ranked lightweight added, “I wasn’t able to pass guard but passing guard typically takes time. It takes a few attempts… There was nothing surprising to say.”

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There is a possibility that UFC might consider giving Charles Oliveira a rematch for the title against Islam Makhachev. As far as Beneil Dariush is concerned, we are yet to know what lies ahead in his UFC career. Even Dana White wasn’t sure what was next for ‘Benny’. However, he has vowed to come back stronger and become the UFC champion in the future.

WATCH THIS STORY: Watch: Charles Oliveira drops Tom Cruise’s iconic quote after getting 19th bonus at UFC 289

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Written by:

Himanga Mahanta

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Himanga Mahanta is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. He has a passion for combat sports and a deep understanding of the intricacies of MMA. With his expertise and extensive knowledge, Himanga provides in-depth coverage of UFC events and fighters, bringing his readers closer to the action and the athletes they admire.
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Edited by:

Anuj Jacob