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

Beneil Dariush believes Ilia Topuria did not have a clear plan for fighting Islam Makhachev, which led him to choose a bout with Justin Gaethje instead. Dariush suggested that Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as a money-making opportunity that would be much easier to prepare a game plan for compared to the challenges presented by Makhachev. The analysis implies Topuria took a more straightforward stylistic matchup rather than the more complex puzzle of facing Makhachev.