Islam Makhachev has publicly expressed frustration with what he calls fabricated narratives from Ilia Topuria's team regarding their proposed Saudi Arabia fight. Makhachev claims he accepted the White House bout when offered, but the next day was told Topuria requested an unrealistic sum that the UFC rejected, leading to Topuria's withdrawal. The lightweight champion stated that even Topuria's manager confirmed this version of events. Makhachev criticized Topuria for telling different stories in each interview and urged him to stop talking, saying Topuria knows he withdrew from the fight.
Islam Makhachev has gone public with sharp criticism of Ilia Topuria's camp, accusing them of circulating false accounts about the collapse of a proposed fight between the two in Saudi Arabia.
Makhachev, 34, says he accepted the bout when it was first presented to him, only to learn the following day that Topuria had demanded a fee the UFC considered unrealistic, prompting his withdrawal from the negotiation. The Russian champion added that even Topuria's own manager corroborated that sequence of events. Makhachev called out Topuria directly, urging him to stop giving contradictory accounts in interviews and to acknowledge that he was the one who walked away.
The 28-1 lightweight champion — who also holds the number-one pound-for-pound ranking in the UFC's welterweight division per the database — is one of the most efficient wrestlers in the sport, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a 58 percent accuracy clip.
Topuria, ranked second in the lightweight division and first in the pound-for-pound standings, carries a 17-1 record and represents Spain out of Climent Club. The 29-year-old is among the most active strikers in the organization, averaging 4.81 significant strikes per minute. He moved up from featherweight after finishing Alexander Volkanovski and has been positioning himself as the next challenger at 155 pounds.
Why it matters
- A fight between Makhachev and Topuria would be one of the most anticipated lightweight title bouts in recent memory, given Topuria's pound-for-pound standing and unbeaten run at featherweight.
- The public dispute introduces uncertainty around when or whether the matchup gets rescheduled.
- Conflicting accounts from both sides leave the status of Saudi Arabia as a future UFC destination unclear in the context of this pairing.
