Beneil Dariush: Topuria chose Gaethje over Makhachev because easier to gameplan

UFC lightweight contender Beneil Dariush has 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 plan for facing Makhachev, which influenced his decision-making. Dariush believes Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as a money-making opportunity that would be significantly easier to prepare for strategically. He stated that developing a game plan against Gaethje is much simpler compared to the challenge of preparing for Makhachev's skills. Dariush's comments suggest Topuria may have opted for a more winnable and lucrative matchup rather than the tougher stylistic challenge.