A battle of ranked lightweight contenders that carries title-shot implications will highlight the UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan card on Saturday when No. 4-ranked Beneil Dariush meets No. 8-ranked Arman Tsarukyan in the main event. Their five-round battle tops the main UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan fight card starting at 7 p.m. ET from Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Tsarukyan is a rising prospect who has won seven of his past eight fights and will likely crack the top five of the UFC rankings should he pick up a signature victory in his second main-event appearance. The No. 4-ranked Dariush saw an eight-fight winning streak come to an end in his last outing, but can rejoin the crowded lightweight title picture with a victory Saturday.
Tsarukyan is a -290 favorite (risk $290 to win $100), while Dariush comes back at +225 in the latest UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan odds. In the co-main event, Jalin Turner (-220) takes on Bobby Green (+180) in a battle of lightweight brawlers. Before locking in your UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.
From breaking down film and following fighters and their camps closely, to tracking sharp action and betting market signals, Vithlani covers the breadth of the MMA betting landscape top to bottom. He also trains amateur boxers and speaks regularly with MMA fighters to understand the sport’s nuances.
In his SportsLine debut for UFC 283 in January, Vithlani swept the main card and has been a consistent winner ever since. At UFC 292, he predicted the upset for underdog Sean O’Malley (+210) against Aljamain Sterling (-250) in the bantamweight championship main event. Anyone who has followed Vithlani already has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs. Tsarukan on deck, Vithlani has scoured the card from top to bottom and released his top selections. You can only see those picks at SportsLine.
UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan preview
Dariush (22-5-1) is widely considered one of the most prolific contenders in the UFC to never have competed for a championship. The nine-year UFC veteran has shared the cage with some of the division’s biggest names and his recent eight-fight winning streak spanned four years.
Although his skill set and resume are beyond reproach, his limited star power can be attributed to his low-key demeanor and lack of self-promotion. Even so, he finally earned a title eliminator in his last outing and came up short against Charles Oliveira, the former champion who is now the top-ranked contender.
However, a win for the Iran-born fighter over a celebrated prospect such as Tsarukyan will improve his leverage in the top-heavy division.
Coincidentally, Tsarukyan (20-3) started his UFC career in April 2019 with a decision loss to Islam Makhachev, who is now the UFC middleweight champion. Both combatants earned Fight of the Night honors for their work in the action-packed bout.
Tsarukyan proceeded to win five straight before coming up short against Mateusz Gamrot, who is also considered one of the division’s most promising prospects. Gamrot lost to Dariush in October of last year but has since won two straight and is now ranked No. 6 at lightweight.
Dariush and Tsarukyan have similar profiles in that both are considered excellent in every MMA discipline without having a clear specialty in any category. You can only see who to pick at UFC Fight Night here.
UFC Fight Night predictions
We’ll share one of Vithlani’s UFC Fight Night selections here: He is going with Drakkar Klose (-120) to get past Joe Solecki (+100) in a lightweight battle on the preliminary card.
Klose (13-2-1) is a six-year UFC veteran and power puncher who is known for his action-packed fights. The 35-year-old Michigan native has won five of six and is coming off a decision win against Rafa Garcia in July of last year.
Solecki (13-3) is a grappling specialist who has eight submissions among his 13 career victories and has gone 5-1 in six UFC appearances. The 30-year-old New Jersey native earned a performance bonus for his submission of Carl Deaton in February.
“I can see this coming down to a close decision. Ultimately, I think Solecki will be wearing more damage at the end of the fight and the judges will give Klose the nod,” Vithlani told SportsLine. See who to back here.
UFC Fight Night picks
Vithlani also has strong picks for Dariush vs. Tsarukyan and other bouts on the UFC Fight Night card. He’s also backing a fighter who “has great cardio and toughness” to emerge with a dominant victory. Those picks are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $6,200 in 2022, and find out.
UFC Fight Night odds, fight card
See full UFC Fight Night odds, picks, predictions, best bets here.
Arman Tsarukyan (-275) vs. Beneil Dariush (+225)
Bobby Green (+180) vs. Jalin Turner (-220)
Rob Font (-135) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (+115)
Kelvin Gastelum (+110) vs. Sean Brady (-130)
Meisha Tate (+130) vs. Julia Avila (-155)
Clay Guida (+270) vs. Joaquim Silva (-320)
Joe Solecki (+100) vs. Drakkar Klose (-120)
Zachary Reese (-215) vs. Cody Brundage (+180)
Steve Garcia (+195) vs. Melquizael Costa (-235)
Rodolfo Bellato (-390) vs. Ihor Poteria (+310)
