Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria have exchanged contradictory accounts about why their fight at the White House event did not materialize. Topuria claims he went to sleep knowing the fight was scheduled but was told hours before the announcement that Makhachev suffered an injury, leading to Justin Gaethje becoming his opponent instead. Makhachev countered that he accepted the fight when offered, but the UFC told him Topuria requested an enormous purse and was denied, with Topuria's own manager allegedly confirming this version. Makhachev emphasized his frustration with what he called fabrications from Topuria and his team. In additional news, Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier have both backed Sean Strickland in his upcoming fight with Khamzat Chimaev, with Masvidal criticizing Chimaev's wrestling-heavy style. Dricus du Plessis named Israel Adesanya as his most technical opponent and Sean Strickland and Brad Tavares as his toughest, notably excluding Chimaev because their brief encounter didn't qualify as a real fight in his view.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
