Beneil Dariush says Topuria chose Gaethje over Makhachev for easier prep

Beneil Dariush has offered his analysis on why Ilia Topuria selected Justin Gaethje as his next opponent rather than pursuing a bout with Islam Makhachev. According to Dariush, Topuria viewed the Gaethje matchup as both a lucrative opportunity and a more straightforward fight to prepare for strategically. Dariush believes Topuria lacked a clear game plan to defeat Makhachev, making the champion a much more difficult puzzle to solve. The comments suggest that developing a winning strategy against Gaethje's style is considerably simpler than cracking the code on Makhachev's well-rounded skill set. Dariush's perspective reflects his own experience competing at lightweight and understanding the unique challenges Makhachev presents.