Beneil Dariush vows to “break” Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Austin: “I’m going to go out there and put on a show”

Beneil Dariush is ready for his first UFC main event.

Dariush will make the walk to the Octagon for the 23rd time on Saturday at UFC Austin against Arman Tsarukyan, and it’s his first time being in the main event.

Beneil Dariush is coming off a first-round knockout loss to Charles Oliveira back in June and after that loss, he knew he was going to fight one more time this year.

“I had to make sure there were no injuries or issues with my head. I was back to training pretty quickly but I didn’t really go too crazy early on… Yeah, I had told the UFC end of the year,” Dariush said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com.

Once Dariush knew he would fight again, he wasn’t sure who it would be against. He was hoping to fight Dustin Poirier, but was excited when he got the call to face Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Austin.

“He was one of the options, the other option would be someone like Dustin Poirier… He’s just a really impressive fighter, he’s young, he’s getting better, and before I retire I want to make sure I fight the best guys in the world,” Dariush said.

Not only is Beneil Dariush excited to fight one of the best fighters in the world in Arman Tsarukyan, but he also says being the main event adds to it a bit.

However, even though this is his first main event, Dariush says he has always trained for five rounds so has full confidence in his cardio.

“Yeah, I mean I guess. At the same time, I consider it a privilege, it’s so stacked, it’s such a great card,” Dariush said. “To have me at the top of it, I consider it a privilege and I’m grateful (for it)… Not too much. I always sparred for five rounds, even if it was a three-round fight. The only thing is I’m doing a bit more running.”

Heading into the fight at UFC Austin, Beneil Dariush is the underdog but he isn’t paying any attention to that.

Instead, Dariush believes he has all he tools to break down Arman Tsarukyan and eventually get a stoppage win.

“I think he will want to grapple, I think he’s confident in himself and will want to stand up as well. He’s going to want to test me everywhere… He’s very durable, so I have to break him down in all aspects and slowly wear him out and I can finish him,” Dariush said.

Should Beneil Dariush get the stoppage win over Arman Tsarukyan, he isn’t sure what a win does for him with the top of the division tied up. But, he knows this fight is pivotal if he’s going to remain in the title picture.

“I don’t know. It’s really hard with how the landscape is,” Dariush concluded. “I don’t overthink it, I’m going to go out there and put on a show. The goal is obviously a finish and hopefully it happens.”