Ilia Topuria claims he was told hours before the White House event announcement that he would fight Islam Makhachev, only to be informed just before the public reveal that Makhachev was injured and he would face Gaethje instead. Topuria questioned why Makhachev doesn't want to fight him. Makhachev responded that he is tired of Topuria's fabrications, stating he agreed to the White House fight but was told the next day that Topuria demanded a huge fee and was denied. Makhachev insisted that Topuria refused the fight and even Topuria's manager confirmed this version. Meanwhile, Jorge Masvidal and Joaquin Buckley have backed Sean Strickland against Khamzat Chimaev, with Masvidal calling Chimaev's style "sitting and sniffing crotches." Dricus Du Plessis said Israel Adesanya was the most technical opponent he faced, while Strickland and Taváres were the toughest, notably omitting Chimaev because he doesn't consider their encounter a real fight.
