Beneil Dariush is itching to get back to competition and is even considering some drastic action to do so.
The number 7 ranked Lightweight has not fought since December 2023, when he dropped a first-round loss to Arman Tsarukyan in their main event bout at UFC Austin. Since then, ‘Benny’ has been plagued with an injury that has prevented him from being able to make his return.
Speaking to Submission Radio, Dariush gave an update on his current health status and revealed that it is an issue with his knee that has kept him on the sidelines. He said:
“So started training again before summer, I would say around like March, April, started like really picking it up and then my knee was bothering me and it was just weird at first it was a little bit painful and then it started locking and I've had a torn meniscus for a long time, but it never was an issue.
“I've been able to train and do whatever I wanted with it. So I went back in there like, yeah, it's just, it's basically the meniscus.”
‘Benny’ admitted that his desire to compete again is even leading to him considering taking drastic action, which could lead to further damage later in life.
“It stresses me out, if I go into a camp like this, it's not an ideal situation. So I've been trying to get some doctors appointments, see what we could do, because I've heard if you can just shave it, it's instant.
“Like, you can just get back into training right away, which is ideal, but it just depends on the tear too. Not all tears are the same, and if it's not the ideal tear, I would have to do a repair. And that takes like six months to come back. So I would probably just skip the repair and maybe possibly remove the meniscus so that way, removing the meniscus will give you issues later on in life, but at least I get to fight sooner.”
At 35 years old, Daruish knows the sooner he can get back to competing, the better. Taking a look at the rest of the division, Dariush was honest in his assessment and struggles to see a viable option other than Dan Hooker, if the New Zealand native can defeat Mateusz Gamrot.
“If Dan wins, I think that fight makes a lot of sense, right? Because Gamrot and I have already fought but at the same time, I know Dan, he doesn't like to fight guys behind him, so it's going to be hard to get a fight with him if he wins the fight.
“Dustin Poirier, for me, is like an impossible fight. For whatever reason, he never says yes. Shoot, that doesn't leave me with a whole lot of choices. I think I'm going to get somebody in the top ten, I just don't know who it could be. Moicano, it could be could be somebody else.
“The problem is the landscape changes so much in just a couple of months. You know, these guys are all fighting and then who knows what's going to happen, who I am going to end up fighting. Fights like Michael Chandler, you know, obviously, I welcome it. Anybody else? I welcome all these fights. No problem.”
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