Beneil Dariush: Topuria chose Gaethje over Makhachev due to easier game plan

Beneil Dariush commented that Ilia Topuria lacked a clear plan for fighting Islam Makhachev, which led him to choose a bout with Justin Gaethje instead. Dariush suggested Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as a money-making opportunity that would be much easier to prepare a strategic game plan for compared to the complex challenge of facing Makhachev. The statement implies that preparing for Makhachev's wrestling and grappling-heavy style presents significantly more tactical difficulties than preparing for Gaethje's striking-oriented approach. Dariush's analysis offers insight into the strategic considerations fighters make when selecting opponents.