A rescheduled lightweight matchup is the latest addition to UFC 248, with Beneil Dariush (17-4-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC) set to take on Drakkar Klose (11-1-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at the event.
MMA Junkie today verified the booking with a person with knowledge of the agreement following an initial report from Combate. The person requested anonymity because an official announcement has not yet been made.
UFC 248 takes place March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected for ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
Dariush and Klose were scheduled to face off at UFC on ESPN+ 13 in July, but an injury forced Dariush out just a week before the fight, and the contest was scrapped from the card entirely.
Dariush would make his return to the octagon in October, picking up a first-round submission win over Frank Camacho, earning his second straight “Performance of the Night” bonus, and his third straight win overall.
Klose has also won his last three in a row, defeating the likes of Lando Vannata, Bobby Green and, most recently, Christos Giagos at UFC 241, as he looks to edge closer to the 155-pound rankings with a win over Dariush.
With the addition, the UFC 248 lineup includes:
- Champ Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk – for women’s strawweight title
- Li Jingliang vs. Neil Magny
- Jared Cannonier vs. Robert Whittaker
- Beneil Dariush vs. Drakkar Klose
