Beneil Dariush believes Ilia Topuria did not have a clear plan for fighting Islam Makhachev, which led him to choose a bout with Justin Gaethje instead. According to Dariush, Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as a money-making opportunity. Dariush suggests it is much easier to prepare a game plan for Gaethje than for Makhachev. This commentary provides insight into Topuria's strategic decision-making at featherweight and potential lightweight moves.
Beneil Dariush has offered his take on why Ilia Topuria opted to face Justin Gaethje rather than lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, suggesting the Georgian-Spanish star simply had no clear blueprint for handling Makhachev's grappling-heavy style.
Dariush, a 37-year-old southpaw fighting out of Kings MMA, holds an 23-8-1 record and sits eighth in the lightweight rankings. Standing five-foot-ten with a 72-inch reach, he averages 3.78 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy and adds 2.11 takedowns per 15 minutes, giving him the kind of well-rounded profile that makes him a credible voice on tactical matchmaking within the division.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and first in the pound-for-pound standings, carries a 17-1-0 record and is one of the most active strikers in the sport at 4.81 significant strikes per minute. The 29-year-old from Spain stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach, and despite his offensive output, Dariush believes the Makhachev puzzle proved too complex for his camp to solve at this stage.
Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion and the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world prior to Topuria's rise, owns a 28-1-0 record and presents an exceptionally difficult stylistic challenge. The 34-year-old Russian posts 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 58 percent of his significant strikes, a combination that makes him one of the most complete fighters on the roster.
According to Dariush, Topuria saw the Gaethje matchup as a more financially rewarding and tactically manageable opportunity, with a cleaner game plan available against Gaethje than against Makhachev's suffocating wrestling and positional control.
Why it matters
- Topuria's choice to face Gaethje delays what many consider the most significant lightweight title unification scenario available
- Makhachev's grappling volume makes him a uniquely difficult puzzle, and Dariush's comments suggest even top contenders acknowledge the stylistic challenge
- At ranked second in the division, Topuria's path back to a Makhachev fight remains the defining storyline at lightweight
