Beneil Dariush says Topuria chose Gaethje because he lacked clear plan for Makhachev

Beneil Dariush has shared his analysis on why Ilia Topuria chose to fight Justin Gaethje instead of Islam Makhachev. Dariush believes that Topuria did not have a clear game plan for facing Makhachev, making the lightweight champion a more difficult matchup to prepare for strategically. According to Dariush, Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as a more lucrative opportunity that would be easier to game plan for tactically. Dariush suggested that it is much simpler to develop a specific strategy against Gaethje's fighting style compared to the complex challenges posed by Makhachev. This assessment implies that Topuria may have been concerned about his chances against the dominant lightweight champion.