Beneil Dariush hadn’t be against Ilia Topuria getting a name shot vs. UFC champion Islam Makhachev

Beneil Dariush approves of Ilia Topuria getting an instant subject shot at light.

Topuria ( 16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) vacated his UFC featherweight belt after admitting that the weight cut was too strenuous on him. &#8220, El Matador&#8221, is eyeing a name struggle against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.

Despite only defending his title once with a knockout of Max Holloway at UFC 308, Dariush ( 22-6-1 MMA, 16-6 UFC) does n&#8217, t see anyone else in the lightweight title picture as more worthy at the moment.

&#8220, You can&#8217, t actually disagree with it, &#8221, Dariush told MMA Junkie. &#8220, Because he became hero, he defended his belt, and he&#8217, s really like, &#8216, Hey, I&#8217, m too big. I don&#8217, t want to make this mass cut again, but I want to fight &#8217, 55. &#8217, I would n&#8217, t be against him fighting for 155, especially since the UFC said they &#8217, re not going to allow Arman ( Tsarukyan ) to have his fight for the title.

&#8220, But, if Arman&#8217, s not getting the name shot, Charles Oliveira– I understand he&#8217, s supposed to be the No. 1 candidate, but I did say Ilia&#8217, s certifications are much at this moment. He&#8217, s riding very the win streak so, I certainly did n&#8217, t be like, &#8216, Oh, this is a mistake. They may n&#8217, t have this battle. ‘ &#8221,

Dariush can see where Makhachev ( 27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) is coming from when he says he does n&#8217, t want to fight another featherweight in Topuria, but says this time it &#8217, s a little different.

&#8220, I think the situation is this, I don&#8217, t think Makhachev really wants to fight another &#8217, 45&#8217, ahem, &#8221, Dariush continued. &#8220, He fought ( Alexander ) Volkanovski because he wanted to be pound-for-pound champion because at that time, Volkanovski was. He beat Volkanovski so he&#8217, s sort of over that I would say.

&#8220, He does n&#8217, t really want to fight another 145&#8217, er. But, the difference now is Ilia is moving up and he&#8217, s an exact &#8217, 55&#8217, ahem. He&#8217, s never going back down to 145. All it requires is for Makhachev to acknowledge. If Makhachev agrees to combat him, I think the battle happens

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