Dariush vs. Tsarukyan, Fight Night Card, Time, Stream

Highlights

UFC 296 features an exciting lightweight main event between Beneil Dariush and Arman Tsarukyan, with Tsarukyan aiming to break into the top 5 rankings.
Dariush looks to bounce back from a defeat against Charles Oliveira and regain momentum in the lightweight division.
The undercard includes a potentially final fight for Miesha Tate, who considers retirement as she prepares for her clash against Julia Avila.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship makes a return with a stacked card leading up to UFC 296, featuring a powerhouse main event in the lightweight division between esteemed contenders Beneil Dariush and Arman Tsarukyan. Tsarukyan's debut inside the Octagon occurred in 2019 against the current Lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev. Despite falling short on the judges' scorecards, Tsarukyan's resilience and skill set were evident as he took the fight the distance.

Currently holding the No. 8 spot in the rankings, Tsarukyan eyes a breakthrough into the top 5, with his sights set on a victory against the formidable Dariush. Adding an extra layer of intrigue, Tsarukyan stirred headlines in the lead-up to the event by engaging in a heated confrontation with Bobby Green in a hotel. Dariush enters the upcoming bout after a June defeat against Charles Oliveira, which marked the end of an impressive eight-fight winning streak.

The loss to Oliveira was a significant setback for Dariush, especially considering that a victory would have likely secured him a shot at the lightweight title. Dariush faces the challenging task of regaining momentum and reinserting himself into the title conversation.

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UFC Austin Start Time: Where Are The Fights Streaming?

Watch The Fights On ESPN+

The action unfolds at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The main card kicks off at 7 p.m. ET, with the prelims commencing at 4 p.m. ET. Viewers can catch all the thrilling fights by streaming the event on ESPN+.

UFC Austin Main card

• Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Arman Tsarukyan

• Lightweight: Jalin Turner vs. Bobby Green

• Bantamweight: Rob Font vs. Deiveson Figueiredo

• Welterweight: Sean Brady vs. Kelvin Gastelum

• Lightweight: Clay Guida vs. Joaquim Silva

• Middleweight: Punahele Soriano vs. Dustin Stoltzfus

UFC Austin Prelims

• Women's bantamweight: Miesha Tate vs. Julia Avila

• Middleweight: Zachary Reese vs. Cody Brundage

• Lightweight: Drakkar Klose vs. Joe Solecki

• Featherweight: Steve Garcia vs. Melquizael Costa

• Light heavyweight: Rodolfo Bellato vs. Ihor Potieria

• Middleweight: Wellington Turman vs. Jared Gooden

• Women's flyweight: Veronica Hardy vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth

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Dan Hooker Out Of UFC Austin With An Injury

Miesha Tate Teases Retirement

The main event originally slated to showcase Dan Hooker against Tsarukyan underwent a significant change when Hooker had to withdraw due to breaking his arm for the second time. Additionally, Jared Cannonier's middleweight bout against Roman Dolidze was derailed by a torn ACL, leading Dolidze to face Nassourdine Imavov on February 3, 2024.

The undercard introduces the potential final fight for Miesha Tate, with "Cupcake" leaving the door open for retirement as she gears up for a clash against Julia Avila. Tate's journey since her return in July 2021 has been challenging, marked by a victory against Marion Reneau but followed by losses to Ketlen Vieira and Lauren Murphy in her Flyweight debut. Returning to her natural weight class of 135 pounds, Tate may rethink retirement with a victory over Avila, who has had a long layoff.