Beneil Dariush says Topuria chose Gaethje over Makhachev due to planning

Beneil Dariush offered his perspective on why Ilia Topuria selected a fight with Justin Gaethje rather than Islam Makhachev. According to Dariush, Topuria viewed the Gaethje matchup as an opportunity to earn significant money while facing a more straightforward challenge. Dariush suggested that Topuria did not have a clear game plan for facing Makhachev, making that fight more difficult to prepare for strategically. In contrast, Dariush believes developing a fight plan for Gaethje is considerably easier, which influenced Topuria's decision. The comments provide insight into the tactical considerations fighters weigh when choosing opponents at the highest level of competition.