Charles do Bronx and Beneil Dariush face off before UFC 289 (Photo: Reproduction/YouTube)
Beneil Dariush 's future in MMA may be closer to a change than many imagined. A rival of Charles Oliveira and a UFC veteran, the lightweight (up to 70,3 kg) raised doubts about the continuation of his career in the octagon by commenting that his next performance could mark a decisive moment in his trajectory as a professional fighter.
In an interview with 'Real MMA Today', Dariush opened up about his current situation and adopted a candid tone when discussing his plans. Having been in the UFC for over a decade, the athlete stated that he intends to take his career fight by fight and did not rule out the possibility of retirement after his next bout. Despite the uncertainty about continuing to compete, the fighter assured that he wants to remain involved with MMA in some way in the future.
“I’ve been in the UFC for 12 years and this is where I am now. I’ll take it one fight at a time. My next fight could be my last… honestly, I don’t know. We’ll see what happens after the fight. I’m excited about the future; I still intend to be a part of MMA,” said Beneil Dariush.
🥲 Beneil Dariush might retire after his next fight, but plans to be a part of MMA afterwards:
"I've been in the UFC for 12 years, and that's where I'm at. I just take it one fight at a time. My next fight could be my last one.. I Honestly don't know. We'll see what happens… pic.twitter.com/c6X8yv1s91
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) February 16, 2026
See too
Beneil Dariush's MMA numbers
Dariush has a record of 23 wins and seven losses in his professional MMA career. The 36-year-old is currently ranked 12th in the Ultimate's lightweight division. The American-Assyrian's last fight was against Benoît Saint Denis at UFC 322 in November 2025. The Frenchman won by knockout in the first round.
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