Don’t count out “Benny” just yet.
No. 12-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Beneil Dariush looks to turn back the clock against surging prospect Quillan Salkilld in the co-main event of UFC Perth this weekend (Sat., May 2, 2026) inside RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.
Dariush enters as a massive +350 underdog — the biggest of his career — signaling that oddsmakers and fans expect him to get overwhelmed by the rising Australian. It’s a familiar position, though, as the veteran
has been an underdog in eight of his last 10 fights.
“It’s not new to me, so it is fine,” Dariush told BJPENN.com. “I plan on going out there and doing what I always have done. Underestimating me, I don’t know if that’s a good idea. If that’s how people are looking at it, we will see how it goes…Experience is important but skill is what ultimately determines the fight.”
Much of the concern around Dariush stems from recent knockout losses, but context matters — his setbacks have come against elite names like Benoit Saint-Denis, Arman Tsarukyan (watch highlights), and Charles Oliveira (watch highlights).
While many expect Salkilld to keep things standing, Dariush believes the fight will eventually hit the mat — where he holds a clear edge.
“I don’t know what his game plan is, but one way or another, I think the fight will go to the ground,” Dariush said. “Whether he wants to or I do, there will be some grappling exchanged because we both are grapplers. There’s a good chance of a finish.”
Now 1-3 in his last four, Dariush has plenty to prove — and a chance to derail one of the division’s hottest prospects in the process.
Will the old guard spoil the rise of the new? We’ll find out soon.
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