Ilia Topuria claims he was originally scheduled to fight Islam Makhachev at the White House event, but Makhachev pulled out due to injury hours before the announcement, leading to Topuria being matched with Gaethje instead. Makhachev disputes this account, stating he accepted the White House fight but was told Topuria demanded an excessive purse and was denied. Makhachev's team insists Topuria refused the bout, and even Topuria's manager allegedly confirmed this version. The public back-and-forth includes a fan commenting on Makhachev posting at 4 AM, to which Makhachev cryptically replied "today it's not him." Both fighters are accusing each other of lying about who rejected the potential matchup.
A public dispute has erupted between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria over who turned down a potential superfight at the White House event, with both fighters calling the other a liar.
Topuria, ranked number one pound-for-pound and second in the lightweight division at 29 years old, claims he was originally booked to face Makhachev at the high-profile event before the lightweight champion withdrew due to injury hours before the announcement. That withdrawal, Topuria says, led to him being rematched with Justin Gaethje instead. The Spaniard carries a 17-1 record and has established himself as one of the most active strikers in the sport, averaging 4.81 significant strikes per minute.
Makhachev tells a different story entirely. The 34-year-old Russian, now fighting out of the welterweight division at 28-1, insists he accepted the White House matchup but was told Topuria demanded an excessive purse that the promotion refused to meet. Makhachev's team maintains it was Topuria who declined the fight, and they claim Topuria's own manager backed up that version of events. Makhachev averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands strikes at a 58 percent accuracy rate, making him one of the most complete fighters in the game.
Adding fuel to the fire, a fan noted Makhachev posting on social media at 4 AM, and the champion replied cryptically that "today it's not him" — a comment widely interpreted as a reference to Topuria.
Gaethje, the 37-year-old American lightweight champion with a 28-5 record and a renowned forward-pressure style, now steps in as Topuria's opponent at the event.
Why it matters
- A Topuria-Makhachev superfight would cross divisional lines and involve the top two pound-for-pound fighters on the roster
- The dispute raises questions about what negotiations actually took place and who holds leverage heading into future talks
- Both fighters now have added incentive to dominate their upcoming bouts to strengthen their position in any future superfight conversation
