UFC 262 is quickly approaching on Saturday, May 15 and MMA fans are excited to see how the event will unfold. While most people are looking forward to the bout between Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC Lightweight Champion, there are other interesting matchups on the card. One of those happens to be another lightweight fight: a co-main event between Tony Ferguson and Beneil Dariush.
Ferguson is the No. 5 fighter in the lightweight division, while Dariush is No. 9. A win at UFC 262 could set either fighter on the right path towards challenging for the lightweight championship. With that being said, sports bettors will want to get in on the action, which is why BetOnline has released odds on this fight.
With that being said, BetOnline is favoring Dariush in the fight at -170 odds. It’s not a huge difference between the two, as Ferguson is at +145. Still, it’s hard not to like someone as talented as Dariush at UFC 262.
UFC 262 Odds: Tony Ferguson (25-5-0) vs Beneil Dariush (20-4-1)
Odds via BetOnline as of Tuesday, May 11
- Moneyline: Ferguson (+145) vs Dariush (-170)
- Total: 2.5 Rounds — Over (-180), Under (+150)
UFC 262: Dariush Favored to Walk Out as the Victor
As mentioned before, it’s not hard to see why Darius is the favorite entering the UFC 262 fight. For starters, he hasn’t lost since March 2018 and has won his last six matches in a row. His most recent victory came at a UFC Fight Night back in February 2021, so it’s not like he’s been out of the octagon for too long.
Another thing to point out about Dariush’s win streak is how he’s been able to win by different methods. He won two fights by decision, two by submission and two by knockout. When a fighter can finish his opponent with several different methods, people should watch out. It’ll definitely be interesting to see how he’ll try to win at UFC 262.
If there’s one thing Dariush is good at, it’s avoiding getting hit. He absorbs just 2.72 significant strikes per minute and has a 59% strike defense. Meanwhile, he’s also great at defending the takedown, having a career 89% defense against it.
Although he started with UFC back in 2014, Dariush has yet to hold gold in the company. He won’t get a chance to win a championship at UFC 262, but an impressive win over Ferguson would certainly point him in the right direction.
Can Ferguson Pull Off the Upset?
Even though he’ll be the underdog walking into UFC 262, don’t count Ferguson out just yet. The man has been with UFC for nearly 10 years and has only lost three times since joining the company. He’s also a former titleholder, having defeated Kevin Lee at UFC 216 back in 2017 for the interim UFC Lightweight Championship. Ferguson was later stripped of the championship due to an injury.
When it comes to striking, Ferguson is an absolute machine, averaging 5.46 significant strikes landed per minute. However, his accuracy could use a bit of work (45%). He also eats a lot of strikes, absorbing 3.94 per minute. If the fight becomes a striking contest between Ferguson and Dariush, it’s hard not to like the former’s odds.
However, one thing that the 37-year-old has going against him is that he’s lost his last two fights, with the most recent loss coming against Oliveira at UFC 256 in December 2020. It’s not a major deal when you lost to someone that good, but Ferguson was the favorite entering that fight, so seeing him as the underdog now is a bit concerning. Still, this bout should be a good one with possible future title match implication.
