Beneil Dariush stunned that Alexander Volkanovski is set to be backup fighter for UFC 280 lightweight title fight: “I was told I’m the fill-in”
Beneil Dariush is confused that he won’t be the UFC 280 backup fighter after all.
In the main event of UFC 280, the vacant lightweight title is up for grabs as Charles Oliveira is set to take on Islam Makhachev. Also on the card is a lightweight bout between Beneil Dariush vs. Mateusz Gamrot which many thought the winner would get the next title shot.
Along with that, Dariush revealed he was told he would be the backup fighter for the event but Volkanovski has since come out and confirmed he would be the backup fighter. Those claims have confused Dariush and he wants to get to the bottom of it.
"I'm not sure if [Alexander Volkanovski] is playing games or if the UFC is playing games."
Beneil Dariush (@beneildariush) says he was told he was the backup for the #UFC280 main event & is trying to get to the bottom of the situation.@RJcliffordMMA @DinThomas pic.twitter.com/bH5BF7ixEy
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) October 11, 2022
“Honestly, I’m confused. I don’t know if he’s playing games or the UFC is playing games, because I was told I’m the fill-in. That’s the whole point of having another lightweight fight on that card, just in case something goes wrong, so I don’t understand what’s going on here,” Dariush said to Sirius XM. “I’m trying to get to the bottom of it, but ultimately I have one goal and that’s Gamrot. But I really thought I was the fill-in, that’s what I was told.”
Although Beneil Dariush was told he was the backup fighter, the UFC may just want him to focus on Gamrot and not have two fights fall off to replace one fighter in the main event. However, Dariush says the UFC told his manager when the fight was booked he would be the backup.
“No, it’s not on the contract. (My) manager said so, my manager said they were putting me on the card, same date because if not why come all the way to Abu Dhabi? Him and I could headline a card and we can fight somewhere else. The reason they brought us here, just in case something went wrong, I would jump in and fill in for the main event. I’m not sure what that’s all about.”
Beneil Dariush enters his UFC 280 fight against Mateusz Gamrot riding a seven-fight winning streak.
Do you think Beneil Dariush should be the backup for the UFC 280 lightweight title fight?
