MMA Preview – Carlos Diego Ferreira vs Beneil Dariush 2 at UFC Vegas 18
CARLOS DIEGO FERREIRA VS BENEIL DARIUSH FACTS
When is UFC Vegas 18? Saturday 6th January, 2021 – 23:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Vegas 18? UFC APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Vegas 18? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC events
What channel is UFC Vegas 18 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC Vegas 18? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
CARLOS DIEGO FERREIRA VS BENEIL DARIUSH LOWDOWN
Carlos Diego Ferreira (17-2) came up short in a unanimous decision in their first meeting, but it was all the way back in October 2014. He got knocked out in his next fight against Dustin Poirier, but he has blossomed into an elite fighter. He has gone on to win every fight since racking up knockouts over Jared Gordon and Kyle Nelson before displaying his grappling prowess against Rustam Khabilov and Mairbek Taisumov. He is now coming off his biggest win to date in submitting former champion Anthony Pettis.
After winning that unanimous decision, Beneil Dariush (19-4-1) has gone 10-3-1 since and his recent run has got people lining him up for a title shot in the near future. After getting knocked out by Alexander Hernandez, Dariush has gone on a tear earning a unanimous decision over Thiago Moises, submitting Drew Dober and Frank Camacho and then knocking out Drakkar Klose and Scott Holtzman in spectacular fashion to make it five in a row.
CARLOS DIEGO FERREIRA VS BENEIL DARIUSH PREDICTION
What a fight to kick off the main card as it could easily be a headliner. They are both experienced killers with incredible skill sets. They match up similarly physically and they are both elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors.
Their skills on the mat will cancel each other out which will create a stand-up battle and that is where Dariush has looked exceptional of late. His knockout power and creativity in his last fights have added another lethal string to his bow and he will have the confidence of unleashing it on Ferreira.
However, we cannot forget Ferreira’s knockout power especially as Dariush’s chin has been found a lot in his career. Ferreira tends to throw wild shots but his Robert Whittaker style combination ending with a head kick could cause Dariush some serious problems. This is going to be an intense battle on the feet and whoever has the sharper defence should come out on top.
A violent three rounds or a knockout could fall either way but Ferreira’s performance against the top tier striker Taisumov proved that he can trade with the best which should give him the confidence to edge a decision.
Prediction: Ferreira via Decision – CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
