Ilia Topuria accuses Islam Makhachev of making excuses to avoid fighting him

Ilia Topuria has publicly stated that Islam Makhachev is focused on counting other people's money rather than fighting. Topuria claims that Makhachev has made excuses on two separate occasions, suggesting a pattern of behavior. According to Topuria, this pattern definitively looks like Makhachev is avoiding a potential matchup between the two fighters. The callout adds to ongoing speculation about whether a fight between the featherweight champion Topuria and lightweight champion Makhachev will materialize. Topuria's statement represents a direct challenge to Makhachev's willingness to accept high-profile superfights.