Alexander Volkanovski is known and respected for facing challenges across divisions. Looking back, he believes one of those decisions may have cost Beneil Dariush a long-awaited title opportunity.
Dariush himself built some serious momentum during his eight-fight win streak. At the time, he was widely viewed as the next man in line at lightweight. That window overlapped with Volkanovski’s move up in weight, where he pursued a champion versus champion status match against Islam Makhachev, which ended in a loss.
In his YouTube channel, Volkanovski admitted the situation still haunts him.
“I really do like Dariush.”
“He should have fought for titles, and then that was when I obviously deserved my chance at champ-champ. I ended up taking where he probably would have been.”
A missed window at lightweight?
Timing played a major role. Volkanovski’s push for a second belt came at the peak of Dariush’s run. The title fights against Makhachev took place while the division’s contenders waited for their turn.
Volkanovski believes Dariush was next in line.
“He would have been backup, he would have been next if it wasn’t me,”
“And then sh*t, I feel like it’s my fault that he never got that title fight.”
Despite acknowledging his own credentials, Volkanovski made it clear he felt Dariush earned that opportunity during that stretch.
“He’s a good dude, too, and definitely deserved it at that time,”.
Watch his podcast here
Dariush is looking to reset
Dariush never recovered in the rankings. His streak ended in a loss to Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira, a result that shifted the division’s landscape.
He has dropped three of his last four fights ever since, and now seems to be in gatekeeper status.
He now looks to bounce back at UFC Fight Night 275, where he faces unbeaten prospect Quillan Salkilld in the co-main event at RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia. Check our predictions for that fight here.