Two of the lightweight division’s most dangerous grapplers will go head to head in the main event of the UFC Fight Night event in Austin, Texas on December 2.
Thirty-four-year-old Dariush and 27-year-old Tsarukyan sit fourth and eighth, respectively, in the UFC’s official lightweight rankings, and both men have designs on a title shot at 155 pounds.
One of them will move much closer to that goal at the Moody Center when they face off over five rounds in the headline bout of the evening.
Dariush is looking to bounce back after a first-round TKO defeat at the hands of former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 289 in June. Prior to that loss, Dariush had won eight in a row in a run stretching back to 2018.
Tsarukyan, meanwhile, is on a two-fight win streak after a unanimous decision victory over Damir Ismagulov in December 2022, then a third-round TKO of Joaquim Silva in June. Tsarukyan is chasing a rematch with current champion Islam Makhachev, who edged him in a competitive bout on Tsarukyan’s UFC debut back in April 2019.
Dariush vs. Tsarukyan tops a loaded card for Texas, with a lightweight bout between Dan Hooker and Bobby Green set to serve as the co-main event.
Bantamweight contender Rob Font takes on former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at 135 pounds, while, at welterweight, Sean Brady takes on Kelvin Gastelum.
Other notable names set for action in Austin include Khalil Rountree, Clay Guida, Miesha Tate, and Veronica Hardy.
UFC Austin: Confirmed bouts
MAIN CARD
- Beneil Dariush vs. Arman Tsarukyan
- Dan Hooker vs. Bobby Green
- Miesha Tate vs. Julia Avila
- Rob Font vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
- Sean Brady vs. Kelvin Gastelum
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Jamey-Lyn Horth vs. Veronica Hardy
- Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Azamat Murzakanov
- Clay Guida vs. Joaquim Silva
- Joe Solecki vs. Drakkar Klose
- Wellington Turman vs. Jared Gooden
- Steve Garcia vs. Melquizael Costa
- Cody Brundage vs. Zachary Reese
- Ihor Potieria vs. Rodolfo Bellato
