by
- What: UFC 289 pay-per-view
- Co-Main Event: Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush
- Date: Saturday, June 10, 2023
- Location: Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Time: Early Prelims (7:00 p.m. ET) Prelims (8:00 p.m. ET) Main Card (10:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: Early Prelims (ESPN+), Prelims (ESPN), Main Card (ESPN+ PPV)
Before UFC 289‘s main event, women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes vs. Irene Aldana takes place, two veteran UFC lightweight competitors, Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush, meet in the co-main event of the ESPN+ streaming pay-per-view card, which takes place Saturday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. Here is some background on the UFC 289 co-main event fighters before we discuss the betting breakdown for UFC 289.
Charles Oliveira is the No. 1 fighter in the official UFC lightweight rankings. Oliveira had an 11-fight UFC winning streak between June 2018 and May 2022. During that run, he won and defended the UFC lightweight title. However, he lost the belt when he came in overweight for UFC 274. Oliveira could have regained the title in October 2022, but Islam Makhachev submitted him and claimed the belt. Oliveira has not fought since that loss. He is 33-9-0-1 with nine knockouts, 21 submissions, and three decisions.
Beneil Dariush is unbeaten in eight straight UFC outings. He is the No. 4 fighter in the official UFC 155-pound rankings. Dariush is coming off an October decision win over Mateusz Gamrot. His record is 22-4-1, with five knockouts, eight submissions, and nine decisions.
Before we look at the best bets for the co-main event of the UFC 289 PPV card between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush, check out our picks for the UFC 289 main event and the best UFC betting sites.
UFC 289 co-main event: Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush betting picks
| To Win UFC 289 Co-Main Event |  |  |  |  |
| Beneil Dariush | -152 | -150 | -155 | -150 |
| Charles Oliveira | +132 | +126 | +125 | +120 |
Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush betting breakdown
Charles Oliveira has developed into one of the most dangerous well-rounded fighters in the UFC lightweight division. Once thought of mainly as a submission artist, he has developed a striking game that is a threat in itself. However, his goal is still to get the fight to the ground. He uses high output to close distance and get close to his opponent, where he can tie them up and then force the action to the mat, where he is extremely dangerous.
Oliveira can also get reckless with his striking. If he does that against a focused fighter like Dariush, he will get countered. Another thing to watch with Oliveira is how fast he starts and that he can fatigue. Dariush won’t get drawn into a brawl early, and he won’t get tired, especially in a three-round contest.
Beneil Dariush has developed a tendency to try to beat his opponent at their own game. That’s a dangerous approach when it comes to a grappler as accomplished at Oliveira. Dariush is the better wrestler of these two. With that, unless he gets very tired, very quickly, he should be able to keep the fight on the feet. The key for Dariush is to establish his wrestling early and force Oliveira to engage him in a striking battle. Once he does that, the fight will turn in favor of Dariush, who is better at controlling range and exploiting the shortcomings of his opponent in a boxing-style fight.
Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush statistical breakdown
Oliveira and Dariush are the same height, but Oliveira has a two-inch reach advantage.
When it comes to striking output, these two are fairly evenly matched. Oliveira lands 3.48 significant strikes per minute to Dariush’s 3.81. Meanwhile, Oliveira is more accurate at 53 percent to his opponent’s 49 percent. Dariush has the advantage in striking defense. He gets hit with 2.55 significant strikes per minute, while Oliveira gets tagged at a rate of 3.20 strikes per minute. Dariush’s defensive is 58 percent, and Oliveira’s is at 51 percent.
As for grappling, Oliveira lands more takedowns per 15 minutes at 2.37, while Dariush has a takedown rate of 1.95 per 15 minutes. Oliveira’s takedown accuracy is 40 percent, while Dariush is successful on 34 percent of his takedown attempts. Dariush is a standout in takedown defense, stopping 80 percent of his opponent’s attempts, while Oliveira’s takedown defense is 55 percent. Not surprisingly, Oliveira is much more active in submission attempts than Dariush at 2.8 per 15 minutes vs. 0.9.
Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush: Who has the edge?
Oliveira is the better grappler of these two. However, Dariush gets the nod in the wrestling department. With that, Oliveira will struggle to get the fight to the mat, and if he does have success, he’ll also have a hard time keeping it there unless he can quickly establish a submission hold. As for the striking game, Dariush is the more composed, patient, and efficient striker. Don’t expect Dariush to get caught by a flying technique from Oliveira. However, if Oliveira attempts those flashy moves, look for Dariush to answer with a counter that will score.
This should be a fun fight, but Dariush has the edge in overall skills.
Best UFC 289 co-main event bets
There’s a lot to think about when it comes down to making the best betting picks for the co-main event of UFC 289. Does one favor Charles Oliveira’s flashy striking and excellent ground game? Or does the steady wrestling and striking of Beneil Dariush give him the edge? Is this the fight where time catches up to Oliveira, who has been with the UFC since 2010, or is UFC 289 the card where Dariush’s winning streak ends?
Oliveira presents betting value as the winning pick, especially if one thinks his grappling will get him a submission win. In my mind, the best bet for UFC 289 is to pick Dariush to win. As for the betting pick for the fight’s outcome, this fight will go the distance, and Dariush will win via decision.
Best UFC 289 co-main event betting pick: Beneil Dariush to beat Charles Oliveira via decision.
See below a list of reliable sportsbooks and choose the best one for you.
