Beneil Dariush says Topuria chose Gaethje over Makhachev due to easier game plan

Beneil Dariush believes Ilia Topuria opted to fight Justin Gaethje instead of Islam Makhachev because preparing a game plan against Gaethje is significantly simpler. According to Dariush, Topuria lacked a clear strategy for facing Makhachev, which influenced his decision-making. Dariush suggested that Topuria viewed the Gaethje matchup as both a lucrative opportunity and a more manageable challenge from a tactical standpoint. The lightweight contender's analysis implies that the stylistic and strategic demands of facing the dominant champion Makhachev were too complex. No additional context was provided about when or where Dariush made these comments.