In the lead-up to UFC 289, both Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush stated that a win in their co-main event matchup would earn them a future showdown with current lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev. However, UFC president Dana White was more hesitant to confirm anything, admitting that while either fighter would be in the running for the opportunity, he wasn’t ready to make any declarations just yet.

Dariush, on the other hand, confidently stated that he had been promised a future title shot by UFC execs if he defeats Oliveira. Even news of the Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje 2 fight being booked didn’t sway him from that promise, with Dariush saying he’ll “possibly riot” if the promotion goes back on their word. After White’s non-committal response, Dariush remained confident, focusing on the task at hand and praising his opponent while highlighting his belief in his own skillset.

The potential title shot situation was also up in the air for the women’s bantamweight division, with Amanda Nunes set to face Irene Aldana in the UFC 289 main event, leaving former champ Julianna Pena and Raquel Pennington in the running for a future shot. While fans may be eager to know who will get the next chance at the title, White wasn’t interested in speculating, stating that he had “no idea” and would wait to see how it all played out.