Beneil Dariush says Topuria chose Gaethje over Makhachev due to easier gameplan

Beneil Dariush has commented on Ilia Topuria's decision to fight Justin Gaethje rather than Islam Makhachev. Dariush stated that he believes Topuria did not have a clear plan for facing Makhachev, which influenced his choice. According to Dariush, Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as both a money-making opportunity and a stylistically more favorable matchup. Dariush explained that preparing a gameplan for Gaethje is much simpler than developing one for the champion Makhachev. The analysis suggests strategic considerations played a major role in Topuria's opponent selection.