Beneil Dariush breaks down upcoming UFC fight with Islam Makhachev

Top-ranked UFC lightweight contender Beneil Dariush broke down his upcoming UFC fight with divisional rival Islam Makhachev.

Dariush vs. Makhachev was recently announced to be the headliner of the UFC Fight Night card that is set to take place on February 26. By all accounts, this will be a No. 1 contender fight at 155lbs, with the winner getting a title shot later in 2022 after Justin Gaethje gets his. On paper, this fight between Dariush and Makhachev looks like it has the chance to be a lot of fun, especially if it goes to the ground where both men are among the best.

In a recent interview, Dariush shared with RT Sport his honest thoughts. Although Makhachev is a big betting favorite to win, Dariush believes he matches up well stylistically.

“I don’t really think too much about Islam – I think about me. What do I do in my fights? I’m a grappler, obviously, so I’m not going to be like, ‘Oh, he’s a grappler – I can’t grapple.’ Of course I’m going to try and grapple. I know how to strike, so of course I’m going to use my striking. I’m not a person where I feel like, ‘Oh, I have to do this in order to win the fight.’ I feel comfortable everywhere. So if I want to wrestle, I’ll wrestle. If I want to strike, I’ll strike. If I want to counter, I’ll counter. I can do all things, so I’m not worried about it,” Dariush said (via MMAjunkie.com). “A lot of people say we mirror each other because we’re both southpaw. We’re almost the same height – I think he’s a little bit taller than me – and if I don’t get too crazy, I try to be also very methodical. So there’s differently a mirror there.”

Who do you think wins this lightweight belt between Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev?