UFC 280 also hosts bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling defending his title against TJ Dillashaw, and Petr Yan taking on rising star Sean O’Malley. But amidst all these great matchups is another can’t-miss lightweight bout on the main card between Beneil Dariush and Mateusz Gamrot.
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The UFC veteran Dariush came into the UFC in 2014 undefeated, with only one decision win to his name. Winning eight of his first 10 fights inside the Octagon, Dariush was on the come-up, and it wouldn’t be much longer until fans saw him inside the rankings as an elite contender. Then, in March 2017, Dariush had an unfortunate 12-month stretch that saw him go winless in three consecutive bouts, including two knockout losses to Edson Barboza and Alexander Hernandez.
Then came a resurgence. A series of bonus-earning performances and highlight-reel finishes shot Dariush straight back into the rankings. The last time fans saw him inside the Octagon was in May 2021, against the seasoned veteran and always dangerous Tony Ferguson. Testing his grappling against a feared submission threat, Dariush made a statement that he can dominate most opponents if the fight hits that mat, amassing over 12 minutes of control time in the three-round bout.