Beneil Dariush (22-5-1 in MMA) is set to make his highly anticipated comeback to the octagon this weekend, marking his return following a tough defeat to Charles Oliveira at UFC 289. In the upcoming UFC Austin event, he is slated to face the rapidly rising and promising lightweight, Arman Tsarukyan.
The fight is official now as both lightweight fighters successfully made weight at the ceremonial weigh-ins. Fight fans noticed that Dariush was looking much better and healthier than he looked in his old fights. A fan tweeted two images of the lightweight veteran side by side to showcase the difference in his physique.
View this post on Instagram
According to the fan, the reason for the much improved version of Dariush was the fact that he hired a nutritionist for his weight-cutting. The Iranian fighter once told Fansided MMA that his walkaround weight is around 170 lbs. So, he normally has to lose around 15 lbs. to reach the lightweight limit.
MMA fans would know that cutting weight before fights is normal for most UFC fighters. However, the process is very intense and can be severely dangerous for an individual if not under proper professional guidance.
Beneil Dariush explains why he looks much older than he is
Since June, Beneil Dariush has been notably absent from the roster of potential title contenders vying for a shot at UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. This absence is attributed to Dariush’s challenging encounter with Charles Oliveira during UFC 289 this spring, which virtually eliminated him from the title contention picture.
Despite Dariush boasting an eight-fight winning streak leading up to that bout, the outcome against Oliveira has significantly impacted his position in the division. On top of that, fans believe him to be nearing the end of his career because of his appearance.
Despite being just 34 years old, Beneil Dariush is frequently perceived as older due to his gray hair. He finds amusement in the idea that some individuals believe he is nearing the end of his career based on his more mature and distinguished appearance.
“Once I’m done with the sport, if no one ever talks about me again, I’ll be fine with that,” said Dariush. “I started getting gray hair at 15; I’m used to it. It’s not the end of the world for me.” he added.
For quite some time, Tsarukyan has been acknowledged as a prospective contender for a future title, and facing Dariush in a match symbolizes the most challenging assessment in his career to date. The winner of this fight will certainly not be very far from a shot at the lightweight gold.