Benoit Saint-Denis KOs Beneil Dariush in 16 Seconds at UFC 322, Targets BMF Belt

Overview

• Saint-Denis stopped Dariush 16 seconds into the opening round to kick off the UFC 322 main card at Madison Square Garden.
• Dariush questioned the referee’s stoppage in the cage, then posted that he was alright and not injured, calling the result disappointing.
• Post-fight, Saint-Denis pushed for a top-five opponent or a shot at the BMF title, touting his 100% finishing rate and promising a war.
• The French lightweight earned a $50,000 performance bonus, while Dariush, now with three losses in his past four fights, faces a likely rankings slide after also missing weight and surrendering 20% of his purse.
• Charles Oliveira has been campaigning for a BMF bout with current titleholder Max Holloway, creating competition for Saint-Denis in the next-round matchmaking.