Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev betting odds, fight info and fan predictions for UFC Vegas 49 bout

Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev UFC fight info, date and time

Main event

Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev is set to go down at UFC Vegas 49: Dariush vs. Makhachev at 8:30pm EST on Saturday 26th February 2022 in a 155lbs matchup.

Beneil Dariush has surged his way up the Lightweight rankings with seven consecutive wins. His last appearance in the Octagon was a dominant decision victory over Tony Ferguson.

Islam Makhachev boasts an even more impressive win streak, with his submission victory over Dan Hooker at UFC 267 making it nine-in-a-row for the Russian.

Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev betting odds

Islam Makhachev will be the betting favorite with opening odds of -370.

Beneil Dariush is the betting underdog with opening odds of +305.

Fight information

This matchup between Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev was first reported on November 27th, 2021 by ESPN.

Someone’s winning streak will be snapped as Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev headline a UFC Fight Night on Feb. 26, multiple sources confirmed to @bokamotoESPN.

Both lightweights have agreed and the promotion has not yet announced a location for the event. pic.twitter.com/e1JWq39027

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 27, 2021

The bout will be a five-round main event to headline the UFC Vegas 49 card.

Beneil Dariush

Beneil Dariush has worked his way up to a title eliminator fight with seven wins in a row. Dariush has beaten notable opponents including Drew Dober, Carlos Ferreira and Tony Ferguson on the way.

PUT HIM OUT.@BeneilDariush's last KO was INSANE 😳 #UFCVegas6 pic.twitter.com/w92a0HmlBn

— UFC (@ufc) August 3, 2020

Dariush hasn’t lost since a first-round knockout defeat to Alexander Hernandez in March 2018. Dariush has fought in the UFC since 2014, amassing a 15-4-1 record.

Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev is considered to be next in line for a title shot after Justin Gaethje, although he’ll have to get through Dariush first. He has won nine fights in a row, finishing his last three bouts via submission.

GIVE THIS MAN HIS RESPECT!!!@MakhachevMMA with the round 1️⃣ kimura.

[ #UFC267 | Tune in LIVE on @ESPNPlus | @VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/DP6S7EPRYc

— UFC (@ufc) October 30, 2021

Makhachev hasn’t lost a fight in over 6 years since he suffered a shock knockout loss in his second-ever UFC fight against Adriano Martins in October 2015.

How they match up

Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev are both the same height at 5”10, although Dariush will have a 2-inch reach advantage. Dariush is also 2 years older than Makhachev at 32 years old.

The striking stats show a big difference in terms of strikes landed and absorbed. Dariush lands more significant strikes per minute than Makhachev (3.80 to 2.21), although he also absorbs far more strikes per minute (2.58 to 0.79).

Both men adopt a takedown-heavy approach to their fights. Makhachev leads with an average of 3.37 TD’s per 15 minutes, while Dariush lands 2.21 TD’s per 15 minutes.

Dariush and Makhachev both have a 62% finishing rate over their careers.

Reasons to watch

This fight is an incredible matchup between two Lightweights at the peak of their powers.

Islam Makhachev is touted by many as the heir to the 155lbs throne, while Dariush is considered the dark horse of the division.

Both men’s grappling prowess may cancel each other out, so we could see a standup battle between two powerful strikers.

The stakes

This will be a huge bout in the future of the Lightweight Division, pitting #3 vs #4. The winner of this fight will almost get a title shot next.

Given how stacked the 155lbs division is right now, a loss for either fighter would push them to the back of the queue.

Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev predictions

The oddsmakers’ predictions have Islam Makhachev as the heavy favorite with opening odds of -370. 

Makhachev’s training partner and former 155lb champion, Khabib Nurmagamedov, sees Makhachev as the next champion in the division.

Dariush’s prediction is that Makhachev’s well-rounded skillset will prove a big test:

“He’s as complete as you get. He can wrestle, he can do jiu-jitsu and then he can strike.”

Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev picks

On James Lynch’s latest edition of ‘MMA Pros Pick’, more professional fighters leaned towards Islam Makhachev as the winner. 

However, the final tally of 21 Makhachev – 16 Dariush reveals how close this fight is.

Get your Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev picks in.

Where to bet on Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev

Beneil Dariush vs Islam Makhachev tale of the tape

• 2 year age gap: Makhachev is the younger fighter at 30 years old.
• Dariush has a slight 2 inch reach advantage.
• Dariush has 4 more professional MMA fights than Makhachev.

Beneil Dariush	vs	Islam Makhachev
32	Age	30
26	Fights	22
21	Wins	21
4	Losses	1
5	KO’s	3
8	Subs	10
5′ 10	Height (in)	5′ 10
72	Reach (in)	70.5

Thiago Moisés vs Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush
Islam Makhachev Win • Submission R4 2:38	vs. Thiago Moisés	Beneil Dariush Win • Decision R3 5:00

Drew Dober vs Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush
Islam Makhachev Win • Submission R3 1:37	vs. Drew Dober	Beneil Dariush Win • Submission R2 4:41

Islam Makhachev fighter profile and recent form

Islam Makhachev is a 30 year old male fighter from Russia with 21 pro wins and 1 losses. See Islam Makhachev’s full MMA record.

Islam Makhachev has a 62% finish rate, including 3 by knockout, 10 by submission, 8 by decision.

Islam Makhachev is currently riding a 9 fight win streak.

Last 5 bouts

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Weight class	Org
Win	20-1-0	Dan Hooker	SUB R1 2:23	UFC 267	2021-10-30	Lightweight	UFC
Win	19-1-0	Thiago Moisés	SUB R4 2:38	UFC Fight Night	2021-07-17	Lightweight	UFC
Win	18-1-0	Drew Dober	SUB R3 1:37	UFC 259	2021-03-06	Lightweight	UFC
Win	17-1-0	Davi Ramos	DEC R3 5:00	UFC 242	2019-09-07	Lightweight	UFC
Win	16-1-0	Arman Tsarukyan	DEC R3 5:00	UFC on ESPN+ 7	2019-04-20	Lightweight	UFC

Beneil “Benny” Dariush fighter profile and recent form

Beneil Dariush is a 32 year old male fighter from Assyria with 21 pro wins and 4 losses. See Beneil Dariush’s full MMA record.

Beneil Dariush has a 62% finish rate, including 5 by knockout, 8 by submission, 8 by decision.

Beneil Dariush is currently riding a 7 fight win streak.

Last 5 bouts

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Weight class	Org
Win	20-4-1	Tony Ferguson	DEC R3 5:00	UFC 262	2021-05-15	Lightweight	UFC
Win	19-4-1	Diego Ferreira	DEC R3 5:00	UFC Fight Night	2021-02-06	Lightweight	UFC
Win	18-4-1	Scott Holtzman	KO/TKO R1 4:38	UFC Fight Night	2020-08-08	Lightweight	UFC
Win	17-4-1	Drakkar Klose	KO/TKO R2 1:00	UFC 248	2020-03-07	Lightweight	UFC
Win	16-4-1	Frank Camacho	SUB R1 2:02	UFC on ESPN+ 20	2019-10-26	Lightweight	UFC