Ilia Topuria claimed he was scheduled to fight Islam Makhachev at the White House event but was told hours before the announcement that Makhachev pulled out with an injury, leading to a matchup with Gaethje instead. Makhachev fired back, stating he agreed to the fight but UFC told him Topuria rejected it due to demanding a huge purse, which Topuria's manager allegedly confirmed. The public exchange also featured a humorous moment when a fan told Makhachev to go to sleep at 4 AM, to which he replied it wasn't him posting. Meanwhile, Jorge Masvidal and Orion Cosce picked Sean Strickland over Khamzat Chimaev, with Masvidal mocking Chimaev's grappling-heavy style.
