Beneil Dariush, a top UFC lightweight contender, has an impressive resume, yet he never anticipated a title shot, despite a remarkable 8-fight win streak. But why? It's a controversial topic in the world of UFC, as the lightweight division has been a tricky one for title fights.
The division has witnessed several contenders with impressive streaks, such as Tony Ferguson and Arman Tsarukyan, who were left waiting for their shot at the undisputed title. Even though Tsarukyan and Ferguson were once scheduled for the title, injuries got in the way.
Dariush, the former #3-ranked lightweight, had a similar fate. Despite his outstanding performances, including a near-finish of the former interim champ Ferguson and a decision win over UFC Rio headliner Mateusz Gamrot, the title fight eluded him.
And here's where it gets intriguing: Dariush, with the second-longest win streak in the division behind Islam Makhachev, felt the title shot was never within reach. He told Helen Yee, "It's a weird division... I was on an eight-fight win streak and it never felt like I was gonna get the title shot." And this is the part most people miss: the UFC didn't seem to consider him for the title, despite his dominance.
Dariush, now 36, has won 9 of his last 11 fights and is currently ranked #9. He aims to dominate and leave the UFC with no choice but to offer him a title fight. But is this a fair assessment of the UFC's decision-making process?
Dariush isn't alone in this predicament. Former top contenders like Jimmie Rivera and Cub Swanson also missed out on title fights despite their impressive records. Swanson, for instance, was on the cusp of a title opportunity until an undefeated Brian Ortega snapped his streak.
The question remains: Are there underlying factors that influence title shot decisions beyond win streaks and rankings? Share your thoughts in the comments. Is it a fair system, or is there room for improvement?
