Beneil Dariush is on the cusp of a title shot. If ‘Benny’ can defeat #8 ranked lightweight Arman Tsarukyan in their upcoming UFC Fight Night Austin main event bout on December 2, he could make a compelling case for at least a no. 1 title contender match if not an outright title shot.

However, this is not the first-time the Iranian-American is in this position. ‘Benny’ was scheduled to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC Fight Night Vegas in February last year. The winner of that fight was expected to fight for the title next, and that is exactly what happened. And as Dariush gets ready to take on Tsarukyan, let us take a look at why he pulled out of the Makhachev fight last year.

Why did Beneil Dariush pull out of the Makhachev bout last year?

Less than two weeks from his lightweight clash against Makhachev in February last year, Beneil Dariush withdrew from the fight. The reason behind this was that he had suffered a broken fibula while he was sparring and his foot got caught in the mat and his weight came down awkwardly on his legs. Dariush and Makhachev were the third and fourth-ranked lightweights in the UFC respectively at that time.

Champion Charles Oliveira was to defend his crown against Justin Gaethje in May, and the winner of Dariush-Oliveira would have been a strong candidate for fighting for the title next. And that is exactly what happened. Makhachev defeated Dariush’s replacement Bobby Green at the event instead.

“I was heartbroken for Beneil. He worked his ass off for this fight. All respect to Bobby Green’s team for stepping up and taking such a tough fight. Nothing but respect for him,” Ali Abdelaziz, who manages both Makhachev and Dariush told ESPN after the cancellation.

The Dagestani then went on to face Oliveira at UFC 280 for the lightweight title. Makhachev made short work of the Brazilian and submitted him in the second round to become the new UFC lightweight champion. And Dariush would undoubtedly be resolved to make the most out of his upcoming bout against Tsarukyan especially after his last UFC outing.

Dariush’s eight-win streak snapped by Oliveira

Until Beneil Dariush faced and lost to Charles Oliveira at UFC 289 in June this year, the California native had not lost a bout in five years. His first-round loss to ‘Do Bronx’ put an end to his eight-fight win streak and catapulted the former champion to the #1 ranked lightweight as well as the next title challenger.

Read More: “Most Loyal Fans Can’t Defend Him After This One”- Colby Covington’s Firing Back at Leon Edwards Leaves Fans in Denial at UFC Star’s Bold Claim

And he would be looking to put this loss behind him with a dominant performance over his upcoming Armenian opponent. Regardless, Tsarukyan looks to be a formidable challenge, who is young, hungry, and on a good trajectory. If Dariush defeats Tsarukyan, there can be little doubt he deserves to fight for the title sometime next year.

Watch This Story: Francis Ngannou’s Grueling Workout and Diet Routine With Mike Tyson as His Trainer