Beneil Dariush is known for his stoic nature among UFC contenders, but even he has his limits. Despite winning eight consecutive fights in the lightweight division, Dariush was informed that he would not get a shot at the title just by waiting. This was after former champion Charles Oliveira sustained an injury that delayed their fight until July, necessitating a talk with the UFC about his future before he agreed to reschedule the fight.

Dariush is sure that a victory on June 10 will secure him a shot at the UFC title, but he acknowledges that if the UFC does not keep its promise, he may lose his patience. “One thing I have learned about the UFC is that they are not fond of making promises,” Dariush commented. “Just before my match with Mateusz [Gamrot], I knew they were not going to give me a title shot, so I asked, ‘If I defeat this one, I get a title shot, right? They responded by saying, ‘We don’t know.’”

However, he is certain that he has gotten the assurances he needed from the UFC this time around. “This time around, I got their word that if I defeated Charles Oliveira, I would be the number one contender. Getting a clear affirmation like that is quite rare,” he added.

Dustin Poirier’s name also came up in the UFC conversation with Dariush prior to accepting the fight, with Poirier currently the top contender in the lightweight division. Dariush did not dispute Poirier’s abilities, but he was unsure why Poirier was considered ahead of him for a title shot. “To be honest,” he stated, “I believed I was already the top contender, but they disagreed. My thought was that Dustin had already earned two chances, and he used to be the interim champ.

Dustin had his chances at the title, and he’s now on a one-fight win streak against Michael Chandler. The fight against Chandler was great, but he used those opportunities. I think the entertainment aspect is more important than rankings right now. It’s a disadvantage, but it’s also a business that has to generate profits. That is what the UFC is doing.”