Beneil Dariush isn’t giving Paddy Pimblett a lot of an opportunity in opposition to Ilia Topuria.
Instantly following Topuria’s first-round destruction of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, Pimblett entered the cage for a heated faceoff with ‘El Matador’ that shortly bought bodily.
It was an entertaining encounter, however fighters and followers alike have been fast to downplay Pimblett’s possibilities of dethroning Topuria. That features Dariush, who didn’t mince phrases whereas discussing the proposed conflict with The Schmo.
“Ilia’s efficiency was masterclass—you’ll be able to’t deny that man, he’s excellent, he’s elite,” Dariush stated of Topuria’s efficiency in opposition to Oliveira in Las Vegas. “So far as Paddy moving into, I don’t know why they did that. I’m assuming they need to give Paddy the title shot, and Ilia needs that struggle too. It’s virtually like feeding the child to the lions.
“You by no means know, he may need one thing, however thus far Ilia has appeared unstoppable. It appears like a sheep to the slaughter, however you don’t know that, as a result of we’re all fighters.”
Beneil Dariush’s return to the win column flies below the radar at UFC 317
Whereas Topuria’s highlight-reel knockout of ‘Do Bronx’ and the Battle of the Yr contender between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van stole all of the headlines throughout Worldwide Battle Week, Dariush delivered one in every of his most spectacular performances but in the primary card opener.
Bouncing again from a pair of brutal KOs in opposition to Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan, Dariush pummeled Renato Moicano from pillar to put up, incomes a unanimous determination victory.
Within the course of, the Iranian-born contender saved himself very a lot alive within the light-weight rankings.
