Islam Makhachev has expressed frustration with what he calls fabricated narratives coming from Ilia Topuria's camp. Makhachev claims he received a call and accepted a fight at the White House event, but the next day was told Topuria requested an unrealistic sum of money. According to Makhachev, the UFC rejected this financial demand and Topuria withdrew from the fight. He stated that even Topuria's manager confirmed this version of events. Makhachev directly addressed Topuria, accusing him of telling a different story in each new interview and urged him to stop talking, insisting that Topuria knows he pulled out of the fight.
