January 15, 2025 9:00 pm ET
LOS ANGELES – Beneil Dariush is aware of he’s neglected.
Possibly it’s the mature look, or the truth that he’s been within the promotion’s light-weight rankings for therefore lengthy. Dariush (22-6-1 MMA, 16-6 UFC) isn’t constructive, however he has a hunch as he heads into his UFC 311 foremost card showdown Saturday vs. Renato Moicano (20-5-1 MMA, 12-5 UFC).
“Grey hairs,” Moicano stated by way of amusing as he spoke to MMA Junkie and different reporters at a pre-fight information convention Wednesday. “I look older than the common individual – simply basically, my age. I really feel nice proper now. I’m simply wanting ahead to the struggle. So far as retirement goes, someday you simply know you don’t have it. If that’s the case, we’re carried out.
“… I feel I’m somewhat bit youthful than him. I feel I’m a pair months youthful than him, however yeah – it’s fairly humorous. If that’s the case, one outdated man goes to get beat up, principally. … I wish to beat that outdated piece of poop up.”
Even the phrase “poop” isn’t often one which Dariush directs at opponents forward of fights. He’s not into trash-talking. This time, it was stated out of jest, in response to Moicano’s use of a more harsh expletive earlier that day to explain what he deliberate to do to Dariush. In all seriousness, Dariush plans to do to Moicano what Moicano plans to do to him. However there’s additionally an incredible quantity of respect between the 2 veterans, even when slang phrases for human excrement are being thrown round.
“I’d positively say an identical feeling,” Dariush stated. “I’d say he’s clearly a veteran. He’s bought loads of large fights, loads of expertise, all of the instruments. However I feel what makes him particular is his game-planning. Him and his group are in a position to put collectively a extremely good sport plan.
“For instance, his final struggle, you could possibly say Benoit possibly is extra athletic, extra harmful and all that stuff. However inside 30 seconds of the struggle, the timing of that takedown, the best way he bought that takedown, it fully modified that struggle. I feel that’s extra of a method. It’s important to have the talents don’t get me improper. However the technique to have the ability to pull that off, I feel that was the change of route within the struggle.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 311.
You’ll want to go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.
