Lightweights
NR | Beneil Dariush (17-4-1) vs. NR | Drakkar Klose (11-1-1)Advertisement
Dariush has turned things around and is currently riding a three-fight winning streak, but it does feel like his career is still somewhat hanging by a thread. Through 2016, Dariush was one of the brightest young fighters in a deep lightweight division. He has never been an elite athlete, but between an elite grappling background and a dedicated and effective pressure striking game, that was more than enough to dispatch most opponent. Even when Dariush was finished—Ramsey Nijem blitzed him and Dariush got a bit lazy while being submitted by Michael Chiesa—those felt more like flukes and correctable problems than any sort of fatal flaw. Then the next 18 months happened. Dariush’s next three fights saw Evan Dunham take him to a surprising draw and brutal knockout losses to Edson Barboza and Alexander Hernandez. The Hernandez loss in particular seemed to break Dariush a bit, given that it took just 42 seconds. Since then, Dariush has been successful, but his striking game has not been nearly as effective, as he has relied on taking things to the mat to get his victories. That probably puts a limit on the championship upside that some hoped Dariush possessed, but on the plus side, this more conservative style probably means he can keep racking up wins for as long as he likes.
Dariush looks to make it four straight wins in a bit of a grudge match against Klose. This booking was initially set for July, but Klose had some harsh words for Dariush after the latter was forced out due to an injury. Klose is one of the more underrated fighters on the UFC roster, but that is understandable, given that his style is not particularly made to stand out. While he is a willing striker, Klose is at his best when making things an ugly grind, pure and simple, which has allowed him to carve out a niche by stalling out more hyped prospects like Marc Diakiese and Lando Vannata. There is really not much else to say about Klose at the moment. If his striking ever comes along, his strength and durability could make him a top contender in short order, but until then, he figures to just keep grinding.
This may not be the most exciting fight in practice, but it is an interesting one on paper since both men are at their best in close quarters. Klose’s success has come almost entirely in the clinch, and while he should be the physically stronger fighter, Dariush is probably the rare opponent who can take over in that realm without much trouble. Klose might actually be able to cause some damage on the feet through sheer aggression, but if he plans to just try to grapple with Dariush, it is difficult not to favor one of the best submission artists in the division. It will not be pretty, but the pick is Dariush via third-round submission.
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