At the UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in June, fans and fighters will come together to celebrate the charitable work of one very special athlete.
Whilst the headlines surrounding Mixed Martial Arts are often dominated by low-hanging trash talk, expletive-laced callouts, and social media antics; the MMA world is today celebrating athletes who tirelessly support charitable endeavors outside of the octagon – and for good reason.
What is the Forrest Griffin Community Award?
The Forrest Griffin Community Award is a special honor within the MMA community, with both the promotion and global fanbase coming together to celebrate the charitable work that many top athletes conduct behind the scenes.
Specifically, the Forrest Griffin Community Award “recognizes a UFC athlete for their exceptional volunteer and charity work and the meaningful impact their efforts have on the community,” – whether that’s in their local area, native home country, or elsewhere around the world.
Beneil Dariush honored with 2024 Forrest Griffin Community Award
As confirmed during the UFC Vegas 91 broadcast last night, the recipient of the 2024 Forrest Griffin Community Award is fan-favorite lightweight veteran Beneil Dariush.
Dariush has been partnered with the Shlama Foundation since 2018, a group that aims to provide emergency response, housing, economic development, and education for Assyrian Chaldean Syriac people.
Dariush has also used his post-fight bonus money from his UFC career to fund orphanages in Haiti, which currently house and support around 40 students across two locations, as well as countless hours teaching self-defense classes at King’s MMA five days a week.
UFC President Dana White, who personally oversees the award as part of the UFC Honors President’s Choice category, celebrated both the success of such charitable organizations, and example that Dariush has set for the MMA world:
“Beneil does an incredible job giving back to his community. Beneil sets a perfect example of how athletes should use their platforms to raise awareness for the charitable causes they care about the most while helping those who are less fortunate. It’s an honor to present him with this award.”
Alongside the award, the UFC Foundation will also offer a $25,000 donation to a charity of Dariush’s choice.
Dariush is the sixth UFC fighter to be honored with the award
Beneil Dariush will be honored at the 2024 Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in the summer, where he will become only the sixth UFC fighter to be bestowed with the Forrest Griffin Community Award.
The first issue of the award was given to Dustin Poirier in 2021 for his work with The Good Fight Foundation and various charitable organizations around his hometown of Lafayette.
Max Holloway and Giga Chikadze were honored in 2022; ‘Blessed’ for his charitable work in and around Hawaii, and ‘Ninja’ for his founding of The Knockout Cancer Foundation.
In 2023, the Nogueira brothers were both inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for their tireless efforts to improve the lives of thousands of children and young adults in Brazil.
The 2024 UFC Hall of Fame Induction ceremony will be held on June 27, only a few days before International Fight Week culminates in the return of Conor McGregor at UFC 303.
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