Topuria and Makhachev clash over conflicting accounts of cancelled fight

Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev are engaged in a public dispute over why their proposed bout fell through before the White House event announcement. Topuria claims he was told hours before the announcement that he would face Makhachev, but then received a call saying Makhachev was injured and he would face Justin Gaethje instead. Makhachev countered by stating he agreed to the fight when offered, but was told the next day that Topuria requested too much money and was denied, with Topuria's manager allegedly confirming this version. The exchange continued on social media with Makhachev posting at 4 AM, prompting a fan to tell him to sleep, to which he replied "Today this is not him," suggesting his manager Ali Abdelaziz typically handles his account. Meanwhile, Jorge Masvidal and Orion Cosce backed Sean Strickland against Khamzat Chimaev, with Masvidal criticizing Chimaev's wrestling-heavy style. Dricus Du Plessis assessed his past opponents, calling Israel Adesanya the most technical, Sean Strickland and Brad Tavares the toughest, but did not count his brief encounter with Chimaev as a real fight.