UFC lightweight contender Beneil Dariush joins CJ Perry and Jonathan Saba on the Identity Crisis podcast for a powerful, no-nonsense conversation about faith, fighting, and staying true to yourself in a sport built on hype.

From growing up in a small village in Iran to becoming one of the most respected lightweights in the UFC, Beneil breaks down the journey that shaped him - inside and outside the Octagon. He talks candidly about his viral Elon Musk callout that somehow turned into two Teslas, his refusal to play a trash-talk character, and why integrity matters more to him than popularity.

Beneil opens up about finding God during his lowest moments, how faith grounds him in a violent profession, and why he believes it actually makes him a better fighter. He also dives into the realities of the UFC business, controversial title shot snubs despite an 8-fight win streak, and his personal philosophy on violence vs. sport.

The conversation goes deeper as Beneil shares how video games nearly derailed his career, what it’s like balancing life as a father of three daughters while running a gym, and the recovery tools that helped him heal faster than expected - everything from sunlight and red light therapy to smarter training habits. Plus, yes, he finally admits his childhood crush on Stephanie McMahon.

This episode is raw, thoughtful, and refreshingly honest—an inside look at a fighter who refuses to be fake in an industry that rewards it.

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• INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/identitycrisispodcast
• TIKTOK ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@identitycrisispodcast
• SPOTIFY ➤ https://open.spotify.com/show/2jpWn23wgVjNADo8Ua48TH

CJ :

• INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/thecjperry
• TIKTOK ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@cjperrytiktok
• X ➤ https://x.com/TheCJPerry

JONATHAN:

• INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/jonathanmsaba
• 
  

BENEIL DARIUSH

• INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/beneildariush
• Train at Beneil’s Gym:Kings MMA – Anaheim, CA

CHAPTERS

• 0:00 - Introduction & Welcome
• 1:00 - The Viral Elon Musk Tesla Callout Story
• 4:06 - Growing Up in a Village in Iran
• 9:40 - Video Games Almost Derailed His Career
• 11:40 - Faith Journey: From Agnostic to Christian
• 16:35 - First Prayer & Transition to MMA
• 20:19 - The Meaning of Integrity
• 28:35 - Recovery Secrets: Red Light Therapy & Sunlight Benefits
• 36:00 - Sunscreen Debate & Health Through the Eyes
• 45:00 - What's Next in UFC Career
• 48:55 - UFC Politics & Staying Authentic
• 51:52 - Conor McGregor & UFC Going Mainstream
• 56:00 - Ronda Rousey's Impact on Women's MMA
• 1:01:00 - Would He Let His Daughters Fight?
• 1:06:20 - Closing & Where to Find Beneil

This Podcast is Produced by CJ Perry, Jonathan Saba, Ryan Lu, & Passes, Production Assistant Minna, And Show Writer Paul O’Brien. Production and Post by Rainbow Creative with Executive Producer Matthew “MoJo” Jones and Editing by Rainbow Creative

About Identity Crisis:

Welcome to Identity Crisis - a new podcast by WWE Legend CJ Perry and Hollywood producer Jonathan Saba. Here we separate the person from the persona, the schtick from the clicks, and get to unfiltered conversations about perception, reinvention, with some unlicensed intervention - hosted by two professional fakers who've made a living playing the part.

Former WWE Superstar Aliyah (Nhooph Al-Areebi) joins CJ Perry (Lana) and Jonathan Saba

on Identity Crisis to discuss her shocking WWE release, the controversy after her incredible 3.17-second Guinness World Record for the fastest win against Natalya! Aliyah opens up in her first podcast interview since her WWE departure, revealing the confusing disconnect between her loud live crowd reactions and the feeling of being "eaten alive" on Twitter by non-real accounts.

How did a wrestler who felt she was "never pushed to the forefront" manage to break the fastest victory record, pinning a legend like Natalya? Aliyah shares the power of that moment and why she truly felt it was "magical". Plus, hear the incredible, untold story of her wrestling through a hairline rib fracture just to finish a match, proving her undeniable toughness and focus. Finally, Nhooph discusses finding a true identity outside of the WWE Superstar role, protecting her mind, and the healthy outlet of competitive horseback riding.

Follow Nhooph (Aliyah): https://www.instagram.com/nhooph_alareebi/

Follow Us:

INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/identitycrisispodcast

TIKTOK ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@identitycrisispodcast

SPOTIFY ➤ https://open.spotify.com/show/2jpWn23wgVjNADo8Ua48TH

CJ :

INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/thecjperry

TIKTOK ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@cjperrytiktok

X ➤ https://x.com/TheCJPerry

JONATHAN: INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/jonathanmsaba

INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/jonathanmsaba

This Podcast is Produced by CJ Perry, Jonathan Saba, Ryan Lu, & Passes, Production Assistant Minna, And Show Writer Paul O’Brien. Production and Post by Rainbow Creative (https://www.rainbowcreative.co/) with Executive Producer Matthew “MoJo” Jones and Editing by Nathan Wheatley at Rainbow CreativeAbout Identity Crisis:Welcome to Identity Crisis - a new podcast by WWE Legend CJ Perry and Hollywood producer Jonathan Saba. Here we separate the person from the persona, the schtick from the clicks, and get to unfiltered conversations about perception, reinvention, with some unlicensed intervention - hosted by two professional fakers who've made a living playing the part.Chapters:0:00 - Introduction & Nhooph's Injury Story0:28 - Welcome & First Podcast Interview1:48 - WWE Herpes Rumor & Recognition3:25 - Breaking the Guinness World Record5:58 - Record-Breaking Match with Natalya6:06 - Working with Natalya & The Dungeon10:18 - Finishing the Match Injured16:10 - Seven Years in NXT17:55 - Losing Matches & Mindset24:01 - Competing After Release25:10 - Imposter Syndrome & Confidence28:35 - The Success Principles Book29:14 - Horses & Wrestling Parallels30:23 - Day After Getting Cut36:54 - Boundaries & Goals Post-WWE42:34 - Favorite Tag Teams Discussion48:50 - Manager/Valet Gimmick Talk52:11 - Closing & Goodbye

New year, new risks, and life-changing moves you won’t see coming. Welcome back to Identity Crisis as CJ Perry, Miro, and Johnny Saba kick off 2026 with massive announcements, bold New Year’s resolutions, and raw conversations that set the tone for their biggest year yet.

Miro unveils Catch Academy, his groundbreaking professional wrestling school opening in Nashville, Tennessee, built to train kids and adults with an affordable, real-world system focused on psychology, storytelling, and fundamentals. CJ Perry shocks fans by officially stepping into stand-up comedy, announcing her first live show in Los Angeles on March 26 and embracing the grind of starting over in front of live crowds.

The trio also gets deeply personal, opening up about CJ and Miro’s IVF journey, sharing emotional highs and lows, faith, and hope, before diving into heated 2026 WWE Championship predictions, the greatest wrestling finishers of all time, and powerful insights on discipline, legacy, and chasing lifelong dreams.

If you love WWE, AEW, wrestling training, comedy, IVF stories, or personal growth, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Follow Us:

• INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/identitycrisispodcast
• TIKTOK ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@identitycrisispodcast
• SPOTIFY ➤ https://open.spotify.com/show/2jpWn23wgVjNADo8Ua48TH

MIRO:

• INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/tobemiroX ➤ https://www.x.com/tobemiro
• TIKTOK ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@rusevtok
• YOUTUBE- @ToBeMiroTV

CJ :

• INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/thecjperry
• TIKTOK ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@cjperry
• tiktok X ➤ https://x.com/TheCJPerry

JONATHAN:

INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/jonathanmsaba

This Podcast is Produced by CJ Perry, Jonathan Saba, Ryan Lu, & Passes, Production Assistant Minna, And Show Writer Paul O’Brien. Production and Post by Rainbow Creative (https://www.rainbowcreative.co/) with Executive Producer Matthew “MoJo” Jones and Editing by Rainbow Creative About

Welcome to Identity Crisis - a new podcast by WWE Legend CJ Perry and Hollywood producer Jonathan Saba. Here we separate the person from the persona, the schtick from the clicks, and get to unfiltered conversations about perception, reinvention, with some unlicensed intervention - hosted by two professional fakers who've made a living playing the part.