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

Beneil Dariush believes that Ilia Topuria did not have a clear plan for a potential fight against Islam Makhachev, which is why he chose to face Justin Gaethje instead. Dariush suggested that Topuria viewed the Gaethje fight as a money-making opportunity and that preparing a game plan for Gaethje is much simpler compared to preparing for Makhachev. This analysis implies that Topuria may have strategically selected an opponent he felt more confident he could develop tactics against rather than facing the more complex challenge that Makhachev would present.