Following a knockout win at UFC Austin, Drakkar Klose has expressed his desire to rematch with Beneil Dariush at UFC 299, three years after Dariush knocked out Klose at UFC 248.
Drakkar Klose is riding high on the wave of a slam knockout victory at UFC Austin. Now, he’s eyeing a rematch with Beneil Dariush at UFC 299.
Dariush was the main event this past Saturday, but he didn’t fare so well. He suffered a brutal knockout at the hands of Arman Tsarukyan. That was his second consecutive loss in the octagon. It’s been three years since Dariush knocked out Klose at UFC 248.
For Klose, it feels like it was just yesterday. He confessed in a recent interview on The MMA Hour, “That haunts me every day.” The defeat still weighs heavily on him. “That should be my number next to my name that he has. I used to have freaking nightmares.”
Before Klose faced Joe Solecki in Austin, he couldn’t escape the memory. The UFC played a highlight of Dariush knocking him out. Klose’s response? “I’m like, ‘Hey, bro, I got to fight, too.'”
That 2020 knockout was a turning point for both fighters. Klose had a string of bad luck, spending over two years on the sidelines due to COVID-19 cancellations and a concussion. The concussion was a result of a shove from Jeremy Stephens at the weigh-ins for UFC Vegas 24. Dariush, on the other hand, went on a four-fight winning streak and is now in title contention.
Klose admits his injury troubles haven’t helped his cause. But he also sees a pattern that’s hard to ignore. Six years after his debut, he’s still fighting on the prelims, as he did against Solecki. He feels disrespected by UFC. “Maybe I don’t show any value,” he said.
Klose was close to knocking out Dariush before a punch flattened him. He wasn’t surprised when Tsarukyan got to Dariush’s chin. “Everyone touches Beneil,” he said. “I had him on the ropes. I should have just been a little bit more patient. I would have the same highlight – that knockout changed the course of his career.”
With Dariush’s career going downhill, UFC might not see the point in booking the rematch for UFC 299, which is on March 9. If that happens, Klose wants a top-ranked opponent to make up for lost time. And, of course, “a little extra money,” he added with a grin.
Despite the obstacles, Klose isn’t ready to give up on his dream to crack the top five by next year. “It’s part of the game man, and I’ve always embraced and enjoyed the journey – whatever happens, happens. Sometimes, we don’t sit back and smell the roses, but you know, we have to.”