Islam Makhachev publicly contradicted Ilia Topuria's version of events regarding their proposed championship fight. Topuria claimed he was told hours before the White House card announcement that he would fight Makhachev, only to later learn Makhachev was injured and he would face Gaethje instead. Makhachev responded by stating he accepted the White House fight offer, but the next day was told Topuria requested a massive purse and was denied. Makhachev insisted Topuria's manager confirmed this version and accused the featherweight champion of lying. The exchange also includes fan comments, with one noting it was 4 AM when Makhachev posted, to which he replied "Today it's not him," suggesting someone else manages his account. Additionally, Jorge Masvidal and Orion Cosce picked Sean Strickland over Khamzat Chimaev, with Masvidal calling Chimaev's style "sitting and smelling crotches."
Islam Makhachev has publicly disputed Ilia Topuria's account of how negotiations for their proposed championship unification fight broke down, turning what had been a one-sided story into a direct back-and-forth between two of the sport's most prominent titleholders.
Topuria had claimed he was informed just hours before the White House card announcement that he would fight Makhachev, only to later learn Makhachev was injured and that Justin Gaethje would be his opponent instead. Makhachev pushed back firmly, stating he accepted the offer to fight at that event but was told the following day that Topuria had demanded a significantly larger purse and was refused. The Russian champion went further, saying Topuria's own manager confirmed his version of events and accusing the featherweight champion of lying about how the situation unfolded.
Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1-0 record and is the current welterweight champion and the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Fighting out of Eagles MMA, the southpaw is one of the most technically complete fighters in the game, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing 58 percent of his significant strikes.
Adding a lighter note to the exchange, a fan pointed out that Makhachev was posting at 4 AM, to which he replied "Today it's not him," implying someone else had taken over his social media account at that hour.
Separately, Jorge Masvidal weighed in on the anticipated middleweight clash between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev. The 41-year-old veteran, who carries a 35-17-0 record and trains out of American Top Team, sided with Strickland and described Chimaev's grappling-heavy style in colorful, unflattering terms. Orion Cosce also backed Strickland in the exchange.
Why it matters
- Both fighters' conflicting accounts leave the timeline of a potential Makhachev-Topuria superfight genuinely unclear
- If purse demands were a real sticking point, it raises questions about when or whether the matchup gets made
- Masvidal's public pick adds outside narrative pressure heading into the Strickland-Chimaev contest
