Beneil Dariush Points Out Surging Lightweight As Exciting Next Opponent Option

During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Dariush broke his silence on the brutal setback he experienced at the Moody Center last Saturday, and looked ahead to what could be next in his MMA career.

The #7-ranked lightweight pondered a number of names he could fight, from a rematch with Drakkar Klose to potential scraps with Dan Hooker and Paddy Pimblett.

But although he appeared less than enthused about those pairings, he did highlight rising Frenchman Benoît Saint-Denis as an exciting rival that could get him motivated to fight down the pecking order.

"I saw the Klose thing, as far as the rematch. it doesn't really get me too excited, but if the UFC calls me for it, sure," Dariush said. "Someone mentioned Dan Hooker, and he called me out a while ago. If that's what the UFC calls, sure. Dan Hooker, I think, is a great fighter and he's got a great history in the UFC.

"Honestly, I don't really know. Paddy (Pimblett), I don't know if that's an option for me. I always wanna fight guys in front of me, but I'm not in that position right now," Dariush continued. "Who else is there? (Rafael) Fiziev is injured, right? ... Actually, you know what, is it Benoît Saint-Denis, is that how you say it? ... That's another option. I've seen a couple of his fights and I think he's actually really impressive. Just the tough fight. If I'm gonna fight, I would prefer the toughest fight I can get."

Since a difficult defeat at an unnatural weight on debut against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos back in 2021, Saint-Denis has won all five of his lightweight outings under the UFC banner.

In 2023, "God of War" has shot into the rankings courtesy of a trio of finishes over the highly touted Ismael Bonfim. former top 15 contender Thiago Moisés, and the previously in-form Matt Frevola.

While Saint-Denis had the names of Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier on his lips following his most recent victory at UFC 295, he'd likely more than welcome a showdown with the high-ranked Dariush in 2024.