Beneil Dariush believes Ilia Topuria did not have a clear game plan for facing Islam Makhachev, which influenced his decision to fight Justin Gaethje instead. According to Dariush, Topuria viewed the Gaethje bout as a more lucrative opportunity. He suggests it is significantly easier to prepare a tactical plan against Gaethje compared to the challenges posed by Makhachev. Dariush's comments provide insight into the strategic considerations behind Topuria's recent fight selection. The statement reflects on the differing levels of difficulty in preparing for elite lightweight contenders.
Beneil Dariush has offered his take on why Ilia Topuria bypassed a potential showdown with Islam Makhachev, arguing that the difficulty of constructing a game plan against the reigning champion played a central role in the Georgian-Spanish star's fight selection.
Dariush, 37, holds a record of 23-8-1 and is ranked eighth in the lightweight division. Fighting out of Kings MMA, the southpaw stands five-foot-ten with a 72-inch reach and lands 3.78 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, while also averaging 2.11 takedowns per 15 minutes — a profile that reflects his well-rounded approach to the sport.
Topuria, ranked second in lightweight and first pound-for-pound at just 29 years old, carries a 17-1-0 record and leads all three fighters in striking output at 4.81 significant strikes per minute. The Spaniard also averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, underlining his finishing ability across multiple disciplines.
Makhachev, now campaigning at welterweight and holding championship status, brings a 28-1-0 record and the most suffocating grappling of the trio — 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes — paired with a striking accuracy of 58 percent that leads all three men. Dariush contends it is those qualities that make the Russian southpaw so uniquely difficult to prepare for.
According to Dariush, Topuria saw the Justin Gaethje matchup as both a more financially rewarding opportunity and a fight where a coherent tactical blueprint was far more achievable.
Why it matters
- Topuria's fight selection directly shapes the lightweight title picture and who gets the next shot at Makhachev.
- Dariush's assessment frames Makhachev as a strategic outlier — a fighter whose grappling and accuracy create preparation problems few opponents can solve.
- As the eighth-ranked lightweight, Dariush himself remains invested in how the division's top contenders navigate their paths forward.
