Sports Interaction
Promotions
Sports Interaction
Promotions

Beneil Dariush vs. Mateusz Gamrot: UFC 280 Odds, Prediction

Add Sports Interacton as Your Preferred News Source

The main event on the UFC 280 card from Abu Dhabi on Saturday is a lightweight title bout, but there’s another excellent fight from that division earlier Saturday afternoon as Beneil Dariush faces Mateusz Gamrot. Dariush is +145 on the MMA odds and Gamrot -195.

UFC 280 - Beneil Dariush v Mateusz Gamrot

  • Mateusz Gamrot -225
  • Beneil Dariush +170

Beneil Dariush UFC 280 Odds

There is no current UFC lightweight champion, although that will be decided in the main event Saturday. Dariush is ranked sixth in the division. The 33-year-old, who was born in Iran but now calls California home, is 21-4-1 in a career dating to 2009.

In one stretch from March 2017 through March 2018, Dariush lost to Edson Barboza and Alexander Hernandez and drew with Evan Dunham, but Dariush hasn’t lost in seven fights since. That winning streak at lightweight is the third-longest active streak in the division behind Charles Oliveira (11) and Islam Makhachev (nine), who fight in the main event.

Dariush comes off a unanimous decision victory over former champion Tony Ferguson in May 2021. The judges didn’t think it was close, with each scoring the bout 30-27. The long layoff is because Dariush was scheduled to face Islam Makhachev in February this year but had to withdraw due to an ankle injury. The 525-day layoff is the longest of his nearly 13-year career.

The 5-foot-10 Dariush’s fights average 9:14, and he’s a southpaw with a reach of 72 inches. He lands 3.80 significant strikes per minute with 49 per cent accuracy and absorbs 2.58 per minutes with 58 per cent defence. Dariush’s takedown average is 2.11 per 15 minutes with 34 per cent accuracy, and his takedown defence is 81 per cent. He has spread his victories out quite evenly: eight by decision, eight by submission and five by KO/TKO.

Dariush’s 15 victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history. His favoured method of victory Saturday is by decision at +235, by KO/TKO/DQ at +550 and by submission at +900.

Mateusz Gamrot UFC 280 Odds

The 31-year-old Gamrot, from Poland, is ranked ninth in the division but still a bit of an unknown despite a stellar 21-1 record in a career that began in 2012. He is a former KSW featherweight champion and KSW lightweight champion and won several championships in wrestling before switching to MMA.

“Gamer” has only been in the UFC since 2020 and lost his debut by split decision to Guram Kutateladze. Gamrot has won four straight since, last in June by unanimous decision over Arman Tsarukyan. That earned the card’s the Fight of the Night award. Afterward, Gamrot called out whom he wanted next:

“Now, I want to fight with Justin Gaethje. Justin Gaethje’s the most brutal guy in this division. I want to fight next with him.”

Maybe he’ll get his wish with a victory.

The 5-foot-10 Gamrot is a southpaw with a reach of 70 inches and his fights average 11:11. He lands 3.54 significant strikes per minute with 51 per cent accuracy and absorbs 3.19 with 63 per cent defence. Gamrot’s takedown average is 4.83 per 15 minutes with 35 per cent accuracy, and his takedown defence is 90 per cent.

He has nine wins by decision, seven by KO/TKO and five by submission. For Saturday, his favoured method of victory is by decision at -120, with KO/TKO/DQ at +445 and submission at +550.

That the fight goes the full three rounds is -188 with no +126.

UFC 280 Prediction: Dariush vs. Gamrot

This could go either way so the best value is on Dariush to win, and he has taken on better competition. It will go the distance.