Yes, Beneil Dariush knows about Edson Barboza's leg kicks, and no, he's not worried

Don’t ask Beneil Dariush if he’s going the extra mile to get a win over Edson Barboza at UFC Fight Night 106.

Dariush is paying out of pocket for two extra cornermen to come with him when he flies to Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil, to take on the fearsome striker.

“And the rooms as well,” Dariush (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) told MMAjunkie Radio in advance of his FS1-televised fight, which takes place March 11 at Centro de Formacao Olimpica do Nordeste.

Dariush, the No. 10 fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, has the chance to pull off a big upset against No. 6 Barboza (18-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC). So he’s taking all the steps he feels he needs to come out ahead.

Extra attention is also being paid to the grappling portion of his training, which presumably will come in handy for an opponent known for hobbling foes with leg kicks. Dariush, a decorated submission grappler, is feeling more like a well-rounded threat on the mat than ever before.

Edson Barboza

“I didn’t even realize there was so much technique in wrestling,” said the 27-year—old, who’s picked up three submission wins in his octagon career. “Before that, I was wrestling every day and not knowing what I was doing and getting my butt kicked.”

Barboza, a former kickboxer, will undoubtedly try to keep their fight standing. It doesn’t behoove him to engage an opponent where he’s weakest, especially when another win could put him on the cusp of a title shot. Victories over Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez put him back in the running after a loss to current interim title challenger Tony Ferguson, so the stakes are high.

One thing Dariush is moderately worried about is the hostile territory in which he’s fighting. Although he’s made the trip to Brazil already, outpointing native Carlos Ferreira at UFC 179, going to the scorecards against a native doesn’t provide much reassurance. Even though the promotion regularly flies American judges south, he’d rather not take the chance.

“That does make me nervous, but I guess I’ll have to fight harder,” he said. “It’s not like the American judges are going to favor me, but at least I know they’re not going to favor him either.”

If Dariush had things his way, he’d be fighting Barboza in his adopted hometown of Huntington Beach, Calif. He’ll be close to the surf when he heads to Brazil, but he’ll be all business when he and his extra cornermen make the flight.

“I prefer to fight at home and be comfortable,” Dariush said. “But I don’t mind. This will be my third trip to Brazil. But it’s a lot easier when it’s at home, when you know you’re going to be able to go to Whole Foods.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 106, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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