Beneil Dariush believes Ilia Topuria did not have a clear plan for fighting Islam Makhachev, which influenced his decision to face Justin Gaethje instead. According to Dariush, Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as a money-making opportunity that would be easier to prepare for strategically. Dariush suggests that developing a game plan for Gaethje is much simpler than preparing for Makhachev's style. This commentary sheds light on Topuria's strategic thinking in selecting his opponents at featherweight and potential lightweight matchups.
