Beneil Dariush believes Ilia Topuria did not have a clear plan for fighting Islam Makhachev, which influenced his decision to face Justin Gaethje instead. According to Dariush, Topuria viewed the Gaethje matchup as a money fight that would be much easier to prepare a game plan for compared to facing Makhachev. The lightweight contender suggested that the complexity of strategizing against Makhachev made Gaethje the more attractive option for Topuria. Dariush's comments provide his perspective on Topuria's recent opponent selection and the strategic considerations involved.
