Beneil Dariush claims Topuria chose Gaethje over Makhachev due to easier gameplan

Beneil Dariush stated that Ilia Topuria did not have a clear plan for fighting Islam Makhachev, which led to his decision to face Justin Gaethje instead. Dariush believes Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as a money-making opportunity that would be much easier to prepare for strategically compared to the complexities of facing Makhachev. The comments suggest Dariush sees Topuria's choice as tactical matchmaking rather than seeking the most challenging opponent.