Beneil Dariush offered his perspective on why Ilia Topuria chose to fight Justin Gaethje instead of Islam Makhachev. According to Dariush, Topuria did not have a clear strategic plan for facing Makhachev, which influenced his decision-making. Dariush believes Topuria viewed the Gaethje matchup as a lucrative opportunity that would be easier to prepare for tactically. He stated that developing a game plan for Gaethje is much simpler compared to the challenges presented by Makhachev's skill set. This analysis suggests Topuria prioritized a fight where he could more confidently implement a winning strategy while also generating significant revenue.
Beneil Dariush has weighed in on Ilia Topuria's decision to pursue a fight with Justin Gaethje rather than a showdown with lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, arguing that strategic uncertainty drove the Georgian-Spanish contender toward the easier assignment.
Dariush, 37, carries a 23-8-1 record and sits at number eight in the lightweight rankings. Fighting out of Kings MMA, the southpaw has built a reputation as one of the division's sharper analytical minds alongside his work inside the cage, where he averages 3.78 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy and adds 2.11 takedowns per 15 minutes to his game.
His comments centered on Topuria, ranked second in the lightweight division and currently sitting at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 29-year-old Spaniard holds a 17-1-0 record and produces an aggressive 4.81 significant strikes per minute. Dariush's argument is that a fighter of Topuria's profile could find a clear tactical path against Gaethje, while Makhachev presents a far murkier puzzle.
That puzzle has a name and a dominant resume. Makhachev, 34, is the reigning welterweight champion — the verified data lists him as champion and the number-one pound-for-pound fighter — and carries a 28-1-0 record. The Russian southpaw lands 58 percent of his significant strikes while averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, a combination that makes building a coherent counter-strategy exceptionally difficult.
Why it matters
- Topuria's path at lightweight hinges on whether he eventually faces Makhachev for undisputed status in the division
- Dariush's framing reinforces how broadly Makhachev is viewed as a uniquely complex opponent, even from a competitor's outside perspective
- The remarks add public pressure on Topuria to address the Makhachev question after any potential Gaethje outing
