Beneil Dariush claims Topuria chose Gaethje over Makhachev due to difficulty

Beneil Dariush believes that Ilia Topuria selected Justin Gaethje as his opponent instead of Islam Makhachev for strategic reasons. According to Dariush, Topuria did not have a clear game plan for facing Makhachev, which influenced his decision-making. Dariush suggests that Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as a better opportunity to earn money while facing a more manageable stylistic challenge. He stated that it is much easier to prepare a specific game plan for Gaethje compared to the complexity of preparing for Makhachev. Dariush's comments provide insight into the tactical considerations behind Topuria's opponent selection.