Beneil Dariush believes that Ilia Topuria did not have a clear plan for facing Islam Makhachev, which led to his decision to fight Justin Gaethje instead. Dariush suggested that Topuria viewed the Gaethje matchup as a money fight with a much simpler game plan to prepare compared to the complexities of facing Makhachev. The lightweight contender's analysis implies that strategic preparation played a significant role in Topuria's opponent selection. Dariush's comments add context to the discussion about why Topuria chose a different path than an immediate lightweight title challenge.
Beneil Dariush has offered his take on why Ilia Topuria bypassed a lightweight title shot against Islam Makhachev, suggesting the Georgian-Spanish star lacked a clear blueprint for that fight and instead opted for a more straightforward challenge in Justin Gaethje.
Dariush, a 37-year-old southpaw out of Kings MMA, holds a 23-8-1 record and sits ranked eighth in the lightweight division. He lands 3.78 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy and averages 2.11 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him one of the more well-rounded veterans in the 155-pound class. His assessment carries weight given his experience navigating the same contender landscape Topuria now occupies.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and the current number-one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, carries a 17-1-0 record and is one of the most active strikers in the sport at 4.81 significant strikes per minute. The 29-year-old out of Spain moved up from featherweight and almost immediately entered title contention, but Dariush's comments suggest the transition brought with it some tactical uncertainty when it came to facing Makhachev specifically.
That uncertainty, according to Dariush, pointed Topuria toward Gaethje — a fight he described as both a lucrative opportunity and a considerably simpler strategic assignment.
Makhachev, the reigning champion now listed at welterweight in the database, holds a 28-1-0 record and presents one of the most complex puzzles in combat sports. The 34-year-old Russian averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 58 percent of his significant strikes, a combination that demands meticulous preparation from any challenger.
Why it matters
- Topuria's opponent selection signals that elite fighters treat preparation complexity as a genuine factor, not just opportunity or money
- Makhachev's elite grappling volume makes him a uniquely difficult stylistic matchup for a striker-first competitor like Topuria
- Dariush's framing adds a strategic dimension to what had largely been discussed as a financial decision
