Beneil Dariush needs a new opponent for UFC 327.
Originally scheduled to face Manuel Torres at the upcoming card that takes place in Miami on April 11, the veteran lightweight revealed that he just received word that his opponent is out of the fight due to injury. Dariush didn’t reveal the nature of the injury but he knows Torres is out with limited options available in terms of potential replacements.
“I just found out I think it was yesterday or Sunday, he pulled out,” Dariush told the Overdogs podcast. “He’s injured so I guess that fight’s not happening anymore. So I’m waiting actually for a new opponent.
“To be honest with you, originally they told me I was supposed to fight Manuel in February and then they said March 7 and then they said April 11. I’m assuming he was injured, and he was pushing it back and pushing it back. Essentially it didn’t work out for him. He probably re-injured himself or whatever. I don’t know the exact details but whatever it is, all the best to him. I hope he recovers quickly and gets back into the fight game. But I’m just waiting on an opponent. The only guy I saw that’s available is really Paddy [Pimblett].”
As much as Dariush might want the Pimblett fight, it seems unlikely that would happen as early as April.
Pimblett, who fell to Justin Gaethje in an interim lightweight title fight at UFC 324 in January, has been posting photos from a family vacation in the Maldives as recently as Tuesday so it seems doubtful he’s in any position to take a fight right now.
It remains to be seen who might end up getting the call but for now Dariush continues waiting in hopes that the UFC finds him a suitable replacement. Dariush is looking to get back on track following a loss to Benoit Saint Denis in his most recent outing.
UFC 327 is headlined by a pair of title fights at Jiri Prochazka faces Carlos Ulberg with the vacant light heavyweight championship on the line while Joshua Van makes the first defense of his flyweight title when he takes on Tatsuro Taira.
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