1. Hi Beneil can you please introduce yourself to the BJJ Community of Eastern Europe?
Beneil, felipe pena, Romulo Barral and Otavio Souza
Hi guys, my name’s Beneil Dariush, 23, black belt, originally from Iran Geotapah, Barral academy in Northridge, California, USA.
Here is my List of titles or accomplishments:
2009:
Pan Ams, gold (blue belt)
Worlds silver. Absolute bronze (blue belt)
Nationals silver. absolute gold (purple belt)
No Gi worlds bronze. Absolute gold (purple belt)
2010:
Pan Ams silver. Absolute silver (purple belt)
Worlds silver. (purple belt)
No Gi worlds gold. Absoulte silver (brown belt)
2011:
Pan Ams bronze ( brown belt)
Samurai gold. Absolute silver (brown belt)
2012:
Abu dahbi trials bronze (brown belt)
Pheonix open gold. Absolute gold (brown belt)
Spring open silver. Absoute gold (brown belt)
Worlds silver. Brown
2. What’s your Jiu-Jitsu story?
I discovered jiu jitsu in 2007, after watching Goerges st. Pierre fight. After my first class i was hooked, i couldn’t stop thinking about jiu jitsu, and to be honest I’m not super competitive so I knew there was something to it.
3. A lot of people heard about you (in Europe at least) after your very close fight with Kron Gracie where he won in a controversial manner with the referee awarding him an advantage. Many people thought that you won that fight. Would you like to face Kron again, in under which setting (IBJJF tournament, superfight etc)
I would love to face kron again under any rules.
4. You are a frequent competitor. What is it about competition that you like so much?
When i first started competing I hated the feeling i would get in my stomach, but now i have come to a point where i cant live without it.
5. Please tell us about your Assyrian background. Are you a active member of the Assyrian /Persian community in California?
I wouldn’t say that I’m active, but i’ve been praised a few times on the Assyrian channels and I received an award for athletes. to be honest i would like to be more active, but i train so much that I don’t really have the time.
6. How are you able to combine competing at a high level in BJJ and MMA. Is MMA eventually going to take a predominant role in your career?
I’ve noticed when I do jiu jitsu in mma, I have a giant advantage, all the high level competition and training in jiu jitsu give an edge not only on the ground, but with the nerves when i fight. it’s really difficult for me to explain jiu jitsu and mma. i started jiu jitsu with mma in mind, but fell in love with jiu jitsu and I couldnt stop. I am at a very difficult time in my life, as I’ve always told myself that I would eventually leave jiu jitsu to train mma full time, but haven’t been able to do that yet. I am so torn between the two, and if I don’t make decision soon I’m going to fail at both.
7. Please tell us about your training with Romulo Barral. What are lessons that you learn from him?
Training with Romulo Barral has to be my favorite thing in the world, but at the same time it’s miserable. I love it, because it’s difficult to find someone out there who can beat you like you’re a white belt, but at the same time it’s miserable because he beats me like I’m a white belt.
8. What are BJJ players that you admire, and why?
I love Romulo because he leads by example, and I would follow him to hell and back. I enjoy watching Roger Gracie, because he keeps it simple, and i have to give props to the Mendes brothers because I think that they are leading the evolution in competition bjj.
9. What did you think about the Metamoris Pro event?
I love the metamoris event and hope that i can be on it in the near future
10. You are known for your guard. What advice would you give to somebody willing to really develop a dangerous guard?
I truly believe that our guards imitate our personality and some will naturally go for more submissions and others will try to control. If I had to say what you can do to make your guard more dangerous? I would say find one move and understand it forward and backward with every possible variation, and I promise you that you will have something dangerous.
11.What’s next for you and your team in 2012/2013?
This is a hard question again as at this point I’m not sure if I’ll be going back to Jiu-Jitsu competition or not.
12. If you want to somebody or sponsors feel free
I would like to thank my sponsors bjjreligion.co and bjjsports.com also i would like to thank all my coaches.
Also i have the best mom in the world!
13. Thanks Beneil and all the best! OSSS
Thank you!
Beneil’s controversial match vs Kron Gracie
